Final answer:
Friedrich Wohler's synthesis of urea from inorganic starting materials disproved the vital force theory and showed that organic compounds could be artificially produced. This experiment paved the way for the understanding that a wide variety of organic compounds could be made in the laboratory from inorganic materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Friedrich Wohler synthesized urea from inorganic starting materials, he disproved the vital force theory, which stated that organic compounds could only be produced by living organisms. This experiment showed that organic compounds could be artificially produced from inorganic materials, challenging the belief that a vital force unique to living systems was necessary for the creation of organic compounds.
By reacting silver cyanate and ammonium chloride, Wohler obtained urea, a well-known organic compound found in urine. This discovery led to the realization that a wide range of organic compounds could be made in the laboratory from inorganic starting materials. As a result, the vital force theory gradually faded away and chemists understood that they could create numerous organic compounds synthetically.