Question

How might Schwann's observations about embryos have affected the theory of spontaneous generation?

Answer 1

Schwann's observations about embryos challenged the theory of spontaneous generation by supporting the idea of epigenesis and highlighting the role of preexisting living matter and environmental factors in embryonic development.

Step-by-step explanation:

Schwann's observations about embryos would have affected the theory of spontaneous generation by providing evidence against the idea that life can arise from nonliving matter. Schwann's observations supported the concept of epigenesis, which suggests that organisms develop from a fertilized egg through a process of gradual and progressive changes. This contradicted the theory of spontaneous generation, which proposed that life could arise spontaneously from nonliving matter.

For example, William Harvey's observations on chick embryos demonstrated that the physical and chemical environment of an embryo influenced its development. Similarly, Hans Spemann's experiments showed that cells transplanted from one embryo to another could induce the development of new tissues. These findings emphasized the role of environmental factors and preexisting living cells in embryonic development, further challenging the theory of spontaneous generation.

In conclusion, Schwann's observations about embryos provided support for the concept of epigenesis and contradicted the theory of spontaneous generation by highlighting the importance of preexisting living matter and environmental influences in the development of organisms.

Answer 2

The theory of spontaneous generation exclaimed that living organisms could arise from non-living matter.

Schwann affected this theory by demonstrating that fermentation required the presence of yeasts to start and that was not caused by oxygen as was speculated.

Schwann concluded by his experiments that sugar was converted to alcohol as part of an biological process based on the action of a living organism - the yeast.