DNA Necklace

Warning!- Not for children under 3 years. Adult supervision required. Follow approved procedures.

Materials

· Toothbrush

· String

· Vial with stopper and lid

· Dish detergent

· Gatorade

· 91% rubbing alcohol

· Plastic spoon

· 2 cups

· Skewer

· Beads

· pipette

Procedure

1. Pour 1 tablespoon of Gatorade into a cup. Dip your toothbrush into the Gatorade and brush your gums and the insides of your cheeks for 1 minute. Then spit into the other cup.

2. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of dish detergent to the solution. Stir the mixture slowly for 2 minutes. Be careful not to make bubbles.

3. Carefully fill the test tube half full with the mixture.

4. Using a pipette, slowly add an inch of alcohol to form a layer on top. Wait 1-2 minutes and you should see something forming. This is your DNA!

5. Collect your DNA with the pipette and place it into the vial. Add a few drops of alcohol and close the vial with the rubber seal.

6. Create your necklace by threading the string through the lid and using the beads. YOU HAVE JUST BECOME A GENETICIST!

The Science Behind it:

Your DNA is the recipe to your features. A strand of DNA contains genes, which are the components to how you look. The salt in the Gatorade helps extract enough saliva to form the strands of DNA. DNA cannot be seen with the naked eye unless a combination of fatty acids and alcohol is applied. Guess what the fatty acid is in this experiment.