Abstract A CH 4-N 2-H 2 O v gas mixture was subjected to a high voltage (20 kV), high frequency (0.3 MHz) electric discharge. The energy input in the electric discharge was varied from 0.016 to 3.048 MJ·mol−1. The chemical yields (G), expressed as the number of molecules formed or destroyed per 100 eV of energy input were calculated for several products. The G values calculated at the lowest energy input were (-CH 4) = 6.48; (-N 2) = 2.51; (C 2 H 2) = 1.16; (HCN) = 0.215; (CH 3 CHO) = 0.115; (CH 3 CH 2 CHO) = 0.00161; (CH 3(CH 2)2 CHO) = 0.0165; ((CH 2 CO 2 H)2) = 0.0000339; (CH 4 → Solid material) = 0.196; (N 2 → Solid material) = 0.00355. This is the first report in prebiotic studies in which the G values of various products in electric discharge experiments are determined. This type of study is needed in order to get a better insight into the relative role of electric discharges on the primitive Earth.
A quantitative assay of biologically important compounds in simulated primitive earth experiments
Advances in Space Research ; 9 , 6 ; 63-66
1989-01-01
4 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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