Background: Scientists use a technique called gel electrophoresis to look at a DNA fingerprint.  The DNA separates into bands and these bands form different lengths.  Every organism, with the exception of identical twins, has a different DNA fingerprint.

Goal: To understand how DNA is separated into a fingerprint by using a chromatography activity to simulate gel electrophoresis.

Learning Objectives: Students will…

• Follow directions to complete a gel electrophoresis simulation
• Use a color-separation technique to separate individual colors from two sample solution
• Use the results of the separation to infer whether the sample solutions are identical or not