Re: Probability of the origin of life

jdb <contact@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

100ºC is water's boiling point at typical altitudes today (back then,
the air pressure was higher, so water's boiling point would've been
lower).

I think you mean *higher*. Boiling occurs when the vapor pressure
of the liquid equals the confining pressure of the atmosphere. If
atmospheric pressure is higher, then the temperature has to be higher
in order to have the vapor pressure of the water be higher since
vapor pressure increases with temperature.

Because it's indicative of a hostile temperature, boiling
water for several minutes is a recommended method of killing most
pathogens in untrusted water sources. Given enough time, this is even
effective at altitudes where water's boiling point is ~70ºC. It seems
unlikely to me that any truly organic matter was formed until after
the waters cooled down.

I doubt that it is the boiling itself that causes any harm to
microorganisms. Boiling under normal conditions is indicative of
a high temperature and it is that that kills microorganisms.

One can make water boil at room temperature by lowering the vapor
pressure. Something like a pressure of 0.33 atm ought to do it.

--
--- Paul J. Gans

.

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