UPSC Prelims 2012·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

Which one of the following sets of elements was primarily responsible for the origin of life on the Earth?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. AHydrogen, Oxygen, Sodium
  2. BCarbon, Hydrogen, NitrogenCorrect
  3. COxygen, Calcium, Phosphorus
  4. DCarbon, Hydrogen, Potassium

Explanation

The correct option is B because Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen are three of the most essential building blocks of organic molecules. Along with Oxygen, these elements make up about 96 percent of living matter. In the early stages of Earth, these elements combined to form complex organic compounds like amino acids and nucleic acids, which are the foundations of life. Options A, C, and D include elements like Sodium, Calcium, and Potassium, which are important for biological functions in developed organisms but were not the primary elements responsible for the initial chemical evolution and origin of life.
science-and-technology: Which one of the following sets of elements was primarily responsible for the origin of life on the Earth?
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