What was the probable role of oxygen gas in the early stages of life's appearance on Earth?
A)Cellular respiration, which depends on oxygen availability, provided abundant energy to the first life-forms.
B)Oxygen promoted the formation of complex organic molecules through physical processes.
C)Oxygen gas tends to disrupt organic molecules, so its absence promoted the formation and stability of complex organic molecules on the early Earth.
D)Abundant atmospheric oxygen would have created an ozone layer, which blocked out ultraviolet light and thereby protected the earliest life-forms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Oxygen is highly reactive and can break down organic molecules, so its absence in the early atmosphere allowed complex organic molecules to form and remain stable, facilitating the emergence of life.

What Was the Probable Role of Oxygen Gas in the Early