FRUITY DNA EXPERIMENT

Cells are composed of nuclei, and nucleus is considered the largest single structure within the cell. It is further composed of separate structures called chromosomes which are responsible to carry information for reproduction or for sort of genetic analysis in laboratories. These chromosomes are made of a more complex polymer called DNA or Deoxyribonucleic acid. Although DNA is a very large molecule, you could not see it with your naked eye, unless you know and you have a great deal with it.


The Fruity DNA experiment will teach you the procedure how to collect large number of chromosomes using common fruits. This is just a simple laboratory experiment for a biology class.






Materials/Equipment


4 x 100ml beaker
2 x 250ml beaker
1 x 500ml beaker

SIMPLY FACTS

1. Although plants do not have nerves, they do use electrical impulses for coordination.  These impulses are like the humans, but much slower.  The Venus flytrap plant is a good example.
2. A single photon of light – the smallest quantity you can get, is enough to stimulate a rod cell.
3. Each off your fingers has about 3000 touch receptors.  This is as many as the whole of your back and chest.
4. You can survive for weeks without food, but only a few days without water
5. A healthy man should have about 15% of his weight as body fat.  A healthy woman should have about 25 %.
6. Alcohol gets from the stomach to the brain in just few minutes.
7. The heat inside the Earth is produced when radioactive substances called isotopes decay. It is not heat left over from when the Earth first formed.
8. One strand of optical fibre can handle up to 10000 telephone conversations all at the same time.

CHEMICAL CHANGES

One of the most important topics in Chemistry is chemical changes.  Students find it interesting because they get what they see; and learning is enhanced when they love what they are doing.

Teachers and students alike could try this simple yet relevant activity for chemical changes. It is always recommended that teachers are around to supervise when students are allowed to do this practical.

Theory:

            There are signs if chemical change has taken place. When one or more substances are formed out of a reaction then chemical change has occurred. In chemical change, the change is usually difficult to reverse. For example, when you cook food, chemical change happens and there is no way you could get back the original substance if you wish to. In chemical change, energy is taken out or given in. Just like, when iron reacts with sulphur; heat is produced. When there is a chemical reaction, the atoms are rearranged so they mixed in an entirely different way.