Which belief holds that nonliving matter produced living matter through natural processes?

• A. Microevolution
• B. Theism
• C. Spontaneous Generation
• D. Macroevolution

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is spontaneous generation—the older belief that life can arise directly from nonliving matter through natural processes. People once observed things like flies appearing on decaying meat or other life seemingly coming from inanimate surroundings and concluded that living organisms could spring forth without parental life. This view relies on natural, non-supernatural processes driving the emergence of life from matter that is not alive.

Over time, experiments challenged this notion by showing that life comes from preexisting life. For example, when nutrient broths were sterilized and protected from.contact with air, no new microorganisms appeared, unless contaminants were introduced. This demonstrated that life does not spontaneously emerge in the way the old theory suggested.

The other terms describe different ideas. Microevolution refers to small genetic changes within a population, macroevolution to large-scale evolutionary changes over long times, and theism to belief in a deity. None of these address life arising from nonliving matter through natural processes, which is why spontaneous generation is the correct concept.