Exploring the DNA Double Helix Discovery

What was one of the profound mysteries of life in the early 20th century?

• The nature of gravity

• The process of inheritance

• The speed of light

• The structure of the atom

Who were the two unknown scientists that took up the challenge of solving the structure of DNA in 1951?

• Linus Pauling and Maurice Wilkins

• Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin

• James Watson and Francis Crick

• Rosalind Franklin and Oswald Avery

What technique was being perfected for solving molecular structures during Watson and Crick's research?

• Electron microscopy

• Nuclear magnetic resonance

• Mass spectrometry

• X-ray crystallography

What was the main issue between Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin?

• They worked at different institutions

• They both thought they were leading the DNA research

• They disagreed on the structure of DNA

• They had different scientific interests

What did Watson and Crick initially think the structure of DNA was?

• A quadruple helix with bases on the inside

• A single strand with bases on the outside

• A triple helix with bases on the outside

• A double helix with bases on the inside

What crucial insight did Francis Crick have about the DNA structure?

• The sugar-phosphate backbones ran in the same direction

• The bases were on the outside

• The sugar-phosphate backbones had to run in opposite directions

• The bases paired randomly

What did Watson use to figure out the correct pairing of the DNA bases?

• Computer simulations

• Cardboard cutouts

• Chemical reactions

• Microscopic images

What did the complementary nature of the DNA bases explain?

• The chemical composition of DNA

• The stability and mutability of life

• The physical properties of DNA

• The color of eyes and hair

What was the reaction of the scientific community to the discovery of the double helix?

• It was largely ignored

• It was considered a minor discovery

• It was met with skepticism

• It was instantly recognized as a major breakthrough

What did the discovery of the double helix open up for biologists?

• A new way to study atoms

• A whole new world of biological research

• A new field of physics

• A new method of chemical analysis