Spallanzani’s conclusion about spontaneous generation was challenged because Antoine Lavoisier had just shown that oxygen was the vital component of air. Which of the following statements is true?
a. All life requires air.
b. Only disease-causing organisms require air.
c. Some microbes do not require air.
d. Pasteur kept air out of his biogenesis experiments.
e. Lavoisier was mistaken.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the historical context: Spallanzani's experiments were designed to disprove spontaneous generation, the idea that life could arise from non-living matter.
2. Consider Lavoisier's contribution: He identified oxygen as a vital component of air, which was a significant scientific advancement at the time.
3. Evaluate the role of oxygen in microbial life: Not all microbes require oxygen for survival; some are anaerobic and can live without it.
4. Analyze Pasteur's experiments: Pasteur's work on biogenesis involved allowing air to enter his flasks, but he used swan-neck flasks to prevent microbial contamination.
5. Reflect on the implications: The discovery that some microbes do not require air (oxygen) supports the idea that life can exist in diverse environments, challenging the notion that all life requires air.

Key Concepts

Spontaneous Generation

Spontaneous generation is the discredited theory that living organisms can arise from non-living matter without the involvement of reproduction. Historically, it was believed that life could spontaneously emerge from decaying organic material. This concept was challenged by experiments conducted by scientists like Louis Pasteur, who demonstrated that microorganisms come from other microorganisms, not from spontaneous generation.

Role of Oxygen in Life

Oxygen is a critical component of cellular respiration, a process by which many organisms, including humans and many microbes, convert nutrients into energy. Antoine Lavoisier's work established that oxygen is essential for combustion and respiration, leading to the understanding that many forms of life require oxygen to survive. However, some organisms, known as anaerobes, can thrive in environments devoid of oxygen.

Biogenesis vs. Abiogenesis

Biogenesis is the principle that living organisms arise from pre-existing life, contrasting with abiogenesis, which suggests that life can originate from non-living matter. The debate between these two concepts was pivotal in microbiology, particularly through the experiments of Pasteur, who provided evidence for biogenesis by showing that sterilized broth remained free of microbial life when protected from contamination, thus supporting the idea that life comes from existing life.