According to Oparin's theory for the origin of life, the prebiotic atmosphere:
A) already contained some primitive RNA molecules.
B) basically was very similar to the atmosphere of today.
C) contained many amino acids.
D) had an abundance of methane, ammonia, and water.
E) was rich in oxygen.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Oparin's theory suggests that the prebiotic atmosphere had an abundance of methane, ammonia, and water. These three components would have reacted with each other and with energy from the environment (such as lightning) to produce more complex organic molecules, such as amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

According to Oparin's Theory for the Origin of Life, the Prebiotic