What makes crystals grow faster?
Salt Crystals Make crystals using salt instead of sugar as salt crystallizes faster. Fill your jar or glass 3/4 full with water. Place your jar in a warm, dry place so that the water evaporates faster. Boiling the water and placing the jar or glass in a warm place will speed up the formation of crystals.
Why are strawberries good for DNA extraction?
Strawberries are an exceptional fruit to use because each student can complete the process individually. Strawberries yield more DNA than any other fruit because they have eight copies of each type of chromosome. The DNA found in strawberry cells can be extracted using common, everyday materials.
How does crystal growing work?
Crystals grow when the solution becomes supersaturated, meaning that there is too much salt dissolved in the water. The extra salt (or other material) takes the form of crystals. To get a supersaturated solution you can either cool down the solution or let some of the water evaporate.
How do you separate DNA from strawberries?
Place the coffee filter inside the other plastic cup. Put the strawberries into the plastic bag, seal it and gently smash it for about two minutes. Completely crush the strawberries. This starts to break open the cells and release the DNA.
What conditions are needed for crystals to grow?
Because warmth is key to forming crystals, the jar’s surroundings should be warm also for optimum crystal growth. Warm air temperature aids water evaporation, causing the crystals to grow more quickly. Crystals will still grow in cooler temperatures, but it will take much longer for the water to evaporate.
Why is alcohol cold in DNA extraction?
Using ice-cold water and ice-cold alcohol will increase your yield of DNA. The cold water protects the DNA by slowing down enzymes that can break it apart. The cold alcohol helps the DNA precipitate (solidify and appear) more quickly.
Why do we add salt in DNA extraction?
By adding salt, we help neutralize the DNA charge and make the molecule less hydrophilic, meaning it becomes less soluble in water. The salt also helps to remove proteins that are bound to the DNA and to keep the proteins dissolved in the water. Water is a very polar molecule.