DNA Detectives: The Hershey Chase Experiment Quiz

Who were the two scientists at the center of this story?

• Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein

• Marie Curie and Charles Darwin

• Gregor Mendel and Rosalind Franklin

• Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase

What were Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase trying to discover?

• The process of photosynthesis

• The function of mitochondria

• The genetic instructions carried by DNA

• The structure of the atom

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What did Alfred and Martha label the viral DNA with, and why?

• Radioactive sulfur-35 (S-35) to track its movement

• Radioactive phosphorus-32 (P-32) to track its movement

• Fluorescent dye to visualize it under a microscope

• Enzymes to enhance its replication

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How did they label the protein coat of the virus?

• With radioactive phosphorus-32 (P-32)

• With fluorescent dye

• With radioactive sulfur-35 (S-35)

• With enzymes

What did Alfred and Martha hope to determine with their experiment?

• The structure of the atom

• The function of mitochondria

• The process of photosynthesis

• Whether DNA or proteins carried the genetic instructions

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Describe the process Alfred and Martha used to separate the virus particles from the bacteria.

• Heating the bacteria to high temperatures

• Using a microscope

• Spinning the infected bacteria in a blender

• Freezing the bacteria

What were the results of their experiment, and what did it indicate about the hereditary material?

• The radioactive S-35 ended up inside the bacteria, indicating proteins as the hereditary material

• Neither radioactive label ended up inside the bacteria, indicating neither DNA nor proteins as the hereditary material

• The radioactive P-32 ended up inside the bacteria, indicating DNA as the hereditary material

• Both radioactive labels ended up inside the bacteria, indicating a mix of DNA and proteins as the hereditary material

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How did the experiment by Hershey and Chase contribute to our understanding of genetics?

• It proved the existence of mitochondria

• It discovered the structure of the atom

• It provided evidence that DNA is the hereditary material

• It explained the process of photosynthesis

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