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Mitosis And Onion Root Tip Cells And Record The Different Phases Of Mitosis

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Aim:
To observe mitosis in onion root tip cells and record the different phases of mitosis.
Hypothesis:
It is expected that the most common phase of mitosis seen will be interphase as the cell spends around ninety percent of its time in this phase. This is because interphase is the period between cell division in which the cells grows, DNA replicates and centrioles divide. It is such a long phase that it is even split into three sub-phases; G1 phase in which a cell grows, S phase or synthesis, in which a cell copies its chromosome and G2 phase in which the cell grows further and prepares for division.
Background Information:
Mitosis is one of two main methods of cell replication, the other being meiosis. It is “the simple duplication of a cell and all of its parts” resulting from the splitting of a cell. The ‘parent’ or original cell splits, duplicating its DNA (packaged in chromosomes) producing two ‘daughter’ or new cells with the same genetic code. There are four stages of mitosis; Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase. Interphase is not an official phase of mitosis as the cell is at ‘rest’ and not being divided during this phase. It is often called one of the phases of mitosis as it is one of the stages in the life cycle of a cell; however it is not a phase of mitosis due to the fact that no division takes place.

Interphase is often called the resting stage of mitosis. It is a stage in the life cycle of a cell where, putting it simply, DNA is replicated and each

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