Conducting Miller-Urey Experiments

The overall goal of the following experiment is to conduct a Miller Yuri Spark discharge experiment. This is achieved by placing water into a reaction flask to represent the early earth's oceans. As a second step, a suite of gases is introduced into the reaction flask to mimic primitive atmospheric conditions.

Next, an electric discharge is applied within the reaction flask. In order to imitate lightning on the primordial earth, results are obtained that show molecules important for life can be detected based on high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, amino acid analysis of spark discharge samples, The Miller U Experiment can help answer key questions in the origins of life field, such as which types of prebiotic conditions may have facilitated the synthesis of specific organic compounds believed to be important for life. To begin this procedure, set up the manifold and vacuum system as described in the text protocol.