MAJOR EXPERIMENT -4 MARKS

(This experiment will be there for all the batches)

1. Study of Mitosis In onion root tip cells
Aim:
To study and demonstrate mitosis by preparing the mount of an onion root tip cells.
Procedure:

 Place the bulbs in a beaker containing water to grow the root tips
 Trim around 3 cm of the newly grown roots and place them in a watch glass
 With the help of forceps, shift it to freshly prepared aceto-alcohol i.e., a
mixture of glacial acetic acid and ethanol in the ratio of 1:3
 Allow the root tips to remain in the for one complete day
 With the help of forceps, pick one root and set it on a new glass slide
 With the help of a dropper, allow one drop of N/10 HCl to come in contact
with the tip of the root. Additionally, add around 2 to 3 drops of the
acetocarmine stain.
 Heat it lightly on the burner in such a way that the stain does not dry up
 Excessive stain can be carefully treated using filter paper.
 The more stained part of the root tip can be trimmed with the help of a blade.
 With the help of a needle, a coverslip can be mounted on it
 Gently tap the coverslip with an unsharpened end of a needle for the
meristematic tissue of the root tip present under the coverslip to be squashed
properly and to be straightened out as a fine cell layer.
 Observe and study mitosis by placing the slide under the compound
microscope.

Observations and Conclusion

 The slide containing the stained root tip cells is placed on the stage of the
compound microscope, changes taking place are noted and sketched.
 The different phases of mitosis, such as prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and
telophase can be observed.
The various stages of mitosis are: (Study and two phases of mitosis with
 diagram)
1. Prophase

 The process of mitosis is initiated at this stage wherein coiling and

thickening of the chromosomes occurs
 Shrinking and hence the disappearance of the nucleolus and nuclear
membrane takes place
 The stage reaches its final state when a cluster of fibres organizes to form
the spindle fibers.
2. Metaphase

 Chromosomes turn thick in this phase. The two chromatids from each of the
chromosomes appear distinct
 Each of the chromosomes is fastened to the spindle fibres located on its
controller
 Chromosomes align at the centreline of the cell
3. Anaphase

 Each of the chromatid pair detaches from the centromere and approaches the
other end of the cell through the spindle fibre
 At this stage, compressing of the cell membrane at the centre takes place
4. Telophase

 Chromatids have reached the other end of the cell

 The disappearance of the spindles
 Chromatin fibres are formed as a result of the uncoiling of daughter
chromosomes
 The appearance of two daughter nuclei at the opposing ends due to the
reformation of the nucleolus and nuclear membrane
 At this phase, splitting of the cell or cytokinesis may also occur


PRECAUTIONS:
1. The base of the onion bulb should be in contact with water while growing
the roots.
2. The slide should be warmed gently above the flames of the spirit lamp.

MINOR EXPERIMENT (3 MARKS)

(Please note that from the below given four headings one will ask for the exam
as a minor experiment)

1.To Study Moisture Content of Soil

AIM:

To study the moisture content of the soil.

PROCEDURE:

Take a small amount of soil from a sample in a dry crucible and weigh it.
Record the weight. Heat the crucible on a burner to dry the soil and then
cool it. Weigh the crucible again to record the weight of dry soil. Repeat the
process for each sample of soil.

OBSERVATIONS:

Record the initial and final weights of each sample and note the difference
between initial and final weight in the form of a table. A higher difference
between initial and final weight shows higher moisture content in the soil.
 S. Soil sample Initial weight (x) Final weight(y) g Moisture
No g content
1. Roadside soil 10 g 9.9g 1.3

2. Garden soil 10 g 8.7g 0.1

2.To study the pH of the Soil Samples

PROCEDURE:

 Take the collected roadside soil and garden soil into two different beakers
containing water.
 Mix the test tubes with the soil solution slowly
 Now into a clean and dried two test-tube, arrange a funnel spread covered
with a filter paper.
 Now gently pour the soil solutions into the test tubes separately.
 Let the water completely filter off from the filter paper.
 Take the collected filtrates (soil) into the two different test tubes for testing
the pH values.

OBSERVATION:
. Roadside soil has a pH level of 7 while garden soil has a pH level of 6. Most
crops grow between pH levels of 6.0 and 7.0.

S Soil samples PH
NO
1 Roadside soil 7
2 Garden soil 6

3.To study the Water Holding Capacity of Soil Samples

AIM:
 Study the water holding capacity of soil samples

PROCEDURE:
1. Take 2 funnels and line them with filter paper. Label them A and B. Place them
on the measuring cylinder.
2. Take 20 g of dried sample of garden soil and roadside soil.
3. Add the garden soil in funnel A and roadside soil in funnel B.
4. Pour 20ml of water in each funnel
5. Record the volume of filtered out water to the measuring cylinder when the
dripping of water stops.

OBSERVATION:

S Soil Weight of Volume of Volume of Volume of Water

No types soil (x) water water water holding
poured(y) collected (z) retained(y-z) capacity of
soil

(y-z)/x*100
1. Roadside 20 g 20 ml 10 ml 10 ml 50%
soil

Garden
2. soil 20g 20 ml 5 ml 15 ml 75%

RESULT:

Garden soil has a high water-holding capacity than roadside soil.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Weighing of the soil samples should be done accurately.

2. Pour water slowly and gently on the soil through the funnel.
4.Study of different water samples for pH

AIM:

To study the pH of different water samples.

PROCEDURE:

1. Take different water samples in different test tubes.

2. Dip a small piece of broad range pH paper in each of the water samples.

3. Match the colour of the pH with the colour scale given on the pH paper booklet.
S Water samples PH
NO
1 Tap water 6.5
2 Sea soil 8

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Take clean and dried test tubes.

2. Dry the pH paper before comparing the colour with the booklet.