I need help with the experiment where you prepare a garlic root tip squash. I am trying to write a hypothesis, but I don't understand why you put the specimen over the flame before you look for the stages of mitosis. Already looked at LabBench and couldn't find anything on it. Any help. Thanks.
2007-09-20 15:12:03 · 3 answers · asked by Chomp 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Does the flame do anything to the cell?
2007-09-20 15:27:45 · update #1
i'm not sure exactly why this is done but it probably has something to do with denaturation of the cell. it is done immediately prior and after staining the cell, so it must have something to do with allowing the dna in the cell to be stained. i'm thinking that it breaks the cell membrane so that the stain has access to the DNA, or that the heat energy causes the molecules of stain to move faster (this would result in an increase in kinetic energy, causing the cells to move around more. if the cells do that, they will spread faster, thus staining the cell quicker).
just an educated guess....
but i doubt it's to "quick-dry residual liquid"
... these are the instructions on this lab procedure:
-Cover the root tip cross section with 2-3 drops of 1N HCl.
-Using a slide holder (forceps or clothespins can be substituted), pass slide over Bunsen burner flame for 3-5 seconds.
-Remove slide from flame and allow to cool. ***Blot up excess HCl carefully using a paper towel.***
(why would you need to blot up excess HCl if the flame was supposed to dry it up???)
2007-09-20 15:33:13 · answer #1 · answered by Ashley M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've always considered that as a quick-dry method. The flame makes any residual liquid evaporate.
2007-09-20 15:25:30 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ap biology lab 3 mitosis meiosis role centromere
2016-05-19 22:00:43 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋