ERIC Number: EJ770222
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-May
Pages: 7
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
X-Ray Diffraction and the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
Crouse, David T.
Journal of Chemical Education, v84 n5 p803 May 2007
A method is described for teaching the analysis of X-ray diffraction of DNA through a series of steps utilizing the original methods used by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin. The X-ray diffraction pattern led to the conclusion of the basic helical structure of DNA and its dimensions while basic chemical principles led to verify the structure along with the counter-oriented nature of the two helices, the hydrogen bonding between purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), and the implications to gene replication.
Descriptors: Biochemistry, Genetics, Radiology, Teaching Methods, Science Instruction, College Science, Science History, Interdisciplinary Approach
Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society. Subscription Department, P.O. Box 1267, Bellmawr, NJ 08099-1267. Tel: 800-691-9846; Tel: 856-931-5825; Fax: 856-931-4115; e-mail: jchemed@egpp.com; Web site: http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A