DanielCruz

APBio/Mr.Saffer
TheOriginofLifeLabReport

ThislabwasbasedontheMillerUreymodelwhichwasmeanttosimulatetheconditions
ofearthbeforethefirstsignoflife.Inawaterisheatedandevaporatedfromaflaskintoa
chambercontainingmethane,ammonia,andhydrogenandthechamberisalsosparked.The
vaporisthencondensedintoaliquid,collected,andanalyzed.Theearthwasextremelyhotand
waterbecameacidicwhenitcameincontactwithothergases.Thesparkedchambersimulates
thunderstormsthatoccurredandtheresultofalloftheseeventswasbelievedtohavebeenthe
firstorganicmoleculesthatcontributedtotheformationoflife.Thepurposeofthethislabisto
establishthelikelinessoflifebeingformedmanyyearsaftertheformationoftheearthandhow
theconditionsofearlyearthcontributedtothemakingofearlylifeforms.Ithinkthatifthese
organicstructureswereformed,likeMillerandUreybelieved,thenmaybeothersimilarevents
tookplacethateventuallycontributedtotheexistenceofthefirstunicellularorganism.

Materials:
Gumarabicsolution
Cappedtubeofgelatinsolution
Microscopeslides
Coverslips
Stirringrod
Pipet
0.1MHydrochloricacid
pHpaper
Graduatedcylinder

Procedures:

1. Measureandpour4mLofgumarabicsolutionintoaglasstubecontainingthegelatin
solution
2. Placeacaponthetubeandgentlyinvertthetubetwoorthreetimes
3. Observethecoacervatesolution
4. DipthestirringrodintothesolutionandtouchthestirringrodonapieceofpHpaper
5. DeterminethepHofthesolutionbycomparingcolortothepHpaperkey
6. Designdatatableformeasurementsandobservations
7. Useapipettodrop1or2dropsofthesolutionontoamicroscopeslide.Addacoverslip
andobservethesolutionunderamicroscopeonlowpower.
8. Countnumberofcoacervatesobservedontheentireslide.
9. Addondropof0.1Mhydrochloricacidtotheglasstube.Placecaponthetube,hold
yourfingerovertheend,andgentlyinverttwoorthreetimes.Recordobservations.

10. Repeatsteps39until5slidesofcoacervatesolutionshavebeenpreparedand
observed.

Controls:
Thedataoncoacervatesolutionobservedthathadnohydrochloricacid.

#ofdrops

pH

4.5

4.5

#of
coacervates

18

Observations Clear
solution

Cloudy

MoreCloudy

VeryCloudy

Cloudier


Conclusion:

ThelowerthepHofthesolutionwas,themorecoacervatesseemedtoform.Iforganic
compoundssimilartothemolecularmakeupofgumarabicandgelatincouldbefoundin
primordialsoup,itisverylikelythatcoacervatescouldhaveformed.Theenzymesthatmake
coacervatesseemtoworkmoreatthepHof4.5andacidicwatersinearlyEarthcould
spontaneouslyincreasetheproductionofthesecoacervates.TheEarthsenvironmentalfactors
definitelycouldvecontributedtothecreationoflife.Onethingthatcouldvemessedupthislab
wasnotbeinggentlewiththesolutionandshakingit.AnimprovementIrecommendistorecord
thepHofthesolutionswithmuchmorespecification.

Citation:

CarolinaOriginofLifeKitforAPBiology

2011CarolinaBiologicalSupplyCompany/PrintedinUSA.