Hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean, where hot water emerges from beneath Earth's crust, lack oxygen gas and contain metals such as iron and nickel.This is important for understanding the chemical evolution of life on Earth because
A) deep water hydrothermal vents were very common on early Earth.
B) iron and nickel can catalyze amino acid polymerization under anaerobic conditions.
C) hydrothermal vent environments produce large quantities of ribozymes.
D) evaporation of hydrothermal vents can concentrate monomers to the point that they polymerize.
E) lack of oxygen is essential for polymerization of large quantities of monomers into a single chain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Iron and nickel can act as catalysts for chemical reactions, including amino acid polymerization, in the absence of oxygen. This suggests that hydrothermal vents may have played a role in the chemical evolution of life on Earth by providing favorable conditions for the formation of complex molecules.

Hydrothermal Vents Deep in the Ocean, Where Hot Water Emerges