BOIL THAT DNA

CONWAY 6.22 PS

QUESTION
At what temperature
does DNA burn at?

ABSTRACT
My project is figuring out at what temperature DNA shuts down at. So I
Thought that if the DNA was heated up then it would shut down at 120*f
because if the human body touches a 120*f surface it will burn the skin.
So first I would mash up a few strawberries in a plastic bag with a special
extraction solution to break down the cell walls.Then push that through a
coffee filter to get all the DNA out into a cup. Then gently pour chilled
rubbing alcohol into cup to create layers where the DNA goes. Then I take
the DNA out using a toothpick and put it into a pan where I slowly heat it.

HYPOTHESIS

If I try to burn DNA, then the

DNA will burn at 120* because
that is the temperature where
human skin begins to burn.

MATERIALS
1.

5 Strawberries

2.

1 Coffee filter

3.

Rubbing alcohol

4.

1 plastic bag

5.

1 small cup

6.

1 tsp of salt

7.

1 tsp of water

8.

1 small pan

PROCEDURES
1. Place alcohol into freezer to chill
2. Put strawberries in bag with salt and water
3. Mashup up till there's no big pieces left
4. Carefully pour mixture into coffee filter over cup
5. Let it drain through
6. Carefully add chilled alcohol into cup
7. Let sit for 3-4 minutes
8. Carefully use toothpick to pick up small white cloudy objects
and place into pan
9. Gradually heat to see when DNA burns
10. Repeat 3 times to find average temperature

PROCEDURE

Independent variable: Temperature of the pot

Dependent variable: Temperature at which the DNA
burns
Control: Amount of DNA

TABLE

Trial

Temperatu
re
*F

126*

121*

116*

CONCLUSION

The average temperature at which DNA

burns at is 121*f. So my hypothesis was
very close to the actual temperature that
DNA burns at.

CREDITS
"How to Extract DNA from a Strawberry - Genome."
Web. 22 Sept. 2015.
"What Is DNA? - Genetics Home Reference." Web. 22
Sept. 2015.
"Strawberries - The World's Healthiest Foods." Web.
19 Oct. 2015.
"Rules for All Projects." Student Science . N.p., n.d.
Web. 25 Aug. 2015.