Grade 9 · Science · Biology

9th grade Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering worksheet

6 printable versionsBuilding Confidence10 questions · answer keyFree · no account

Level: Building Confidence · On Level · Challenge Me

When it’s done, scan the sheet with your phone and PencilGo marks it and picks the next one. Create a free account

Version

Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

Read this first
PCR step card (model data)
step temperature what happens
W high the two strands of the DNA pull apart
1.
Ari reads a card for one step in a model PCR cycle. What is step W called?
- Extend
- Ligate
- Denature
- Anneal
2.
Bo reads a card for one step in a model PCR cycle. What is step X called?
- Anneal
- Extend
- Cut
- Denature
Model PCR count table (model data)
cycle pieces
0 1
1 2
2 4
3 8
Each cycle doubles the pieces.
3.
Jun reads a count table for a model PCR. How many pieces are there after cycle 4?
- 10 pieces
- 32 pieces
- 16 pieces
- 24 pieces
4.
Kira reads a count table for a model PCR. Which number goes in the ? box?
- 9 pieces
- 18 pieces
- 12 pieces
- 8 pieces
Model PCR card (model data)
item value
start 1 piece
each cycle doubles the pieces
goal 8 pieces
5.
Luz reads a card for a model PCR. How many cycles does it take to reach the goal?
- 3 cycles
- 7 cycles
- 8 cycles
- 4 cycles
6.
Model gel (not to scale; model data). Noah reads a model gel after the run. Which band in lane 1 moved farthest from the wells?
- The 300 bp band
- The 600 bp band
- The 900 bp band
- The 150 bp band
7.
Model gel setup (not to scale; model data). Then the power is switched on. Pia loads two DNA pieces in one well and runs the gel. Which result is correct?
- The 100 bp piece moves toward the positive (+) end; the other stays in the well
- Both move toward the positive (+) end; the 100 bp piece ends farther along
- Both move toward the negative (−) end; the 100 bp piece ends farther along
- Both move toward the positive (+) end; the 1000 bp piece ends farther along
Gene-tool card (model data)
tool job
W cuts DNA at one specific short sequence
8.
Ren reads a card about tools used to put a gene into a plasmid. Which tool is W?
- Primer
- DNA ligase
- Taq polymerase
- Restriction enzyme
9.
Tala reads a card about tools used to put a gene into a plasmid. Which tool is X?
- Restriction enzyme
- Plasmid
- DNA ligase
- Taq polymerase
Bt corn card (model data)
crop fact
Bt corn the plant makes a protein that protects it from some insect pests
Bt corn the added DNA came from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
10.
Zee reads a card about Bt corn. What was added to the corn plant's DNA?
- A gene from another corn plant
- A gene from Bacillus thuringiensis
- A copy of the corn plant's own genes
- A restriction enzyme from the bacterium

step	temperature	what happens
W	high	the two strands of the DNA pull apart

cycle	pieces
0	1
1	2
2	4
3	8

item	value
start	1 piece
each cycle	doubles the pieces
goal	8 pieces

tool	job
W	cuts DNA at one specific short sequence

crop	fact
Bt corn	the plant makes a protein that protects it from some insect pests
Bt corn	the added DNA came from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis

9th grade Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering worksheet – printable — Print: 1 2 3 4 5 6

About this worksheet

Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

I can name the three steps of a PCR cycle from what happens in each: the strands pull apart at a high temperature (denature), primers join the single strands at a low temperature (anneal), and Taq polymerase builds new strands from the primers at a medium temperature (extend).
I can say why Taq polymerase is used: it comes from a heat-stable bacterium and keeps working after the hot step.
I can say that PCR copies the region between the two primers, and not the whole genome.
I can count a model PCR: each cycle doubles the pieces, so n cycles multiply the start by 2^n. I can find the count after n cycles, the cycles needed to pass a goal, and the start from the end.
I can tell doubling from adding two each cycle, and I can count single strands as well as double strands.
I can write the new strand that Taq builds from a primer on a template, by pairing A with T and C with G.

Standard: supports HS-LS3-1

Words to know

PCR: A way to make many copies of one region of DNA in a tube

target region: The stretch of DNA between the two primers that PCR copies

primer: A short piece of DNA that pairs with one end of the target region

denature: Heat the DNA until its two strands pull apart

anneal: Cool the tube so the primers join the single strands

extend: Taq polymerase builds a new strand from each primer

Taq polymerase: A heat-stable DNA polymerase from a heat-tolerant bacterium

cycle: One round of denature, anneal and extend

Common mistakes

Your child added two pieces each cycle. PCR doubles the pieces in every cycle, so the count grows 1, 2, 4, 8. Ask your child what the count does in each cycle.

Your child thought larger DNA pieces travel farther in a gel. Smaller pieces move through the gel faster and end up farther from the wells. Ask your child which piece travels farthest.

Your child said DNA moves toward the negative end of a gel. DNA is negatively charged, so it moves toward the positive end. Ask your child which end the wells are next to.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with biotechnology: pcr, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering?

Your child added two pieces each cycle. PCR doubles the pieces in every cycle, so the count grows 1, 2, 4, 8. Ask your child what the count does in each cycle.

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

More biology

See all Biology

Every sheet you scan goes into your child’s record: dated, marked and ready for the year-end portfolio. Homeschool records

9th grade Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering worksheet

PCR step card (model data)

Model PCR count table (model data)

Model PCR card (model data)

Gene-tool card (model data)

Bt corn card (model data)