Photo AI
Figure 14 shows a banana plantation - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 9 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 9
Figure 14 shows a banana plantation. After the bananas have been harvested, the old plants are cut down. The suckers then develop into mature plants producing the n... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 14 shows a banana plantation - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 9 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe the function of a meristem in the growth of a plant.
Answer
Meristems are regions in plants where cell division occurs. They contain undifferentiated cells, often referred to as stem cells. These cells can divide through mitosis to produce more cells, which can then differentiate into various specialized cell types, contributing to the growth of new tissues and organs in the plant.
Step 2
Describe how the student would prepare a microscope slide using these cells.
Answer
To prepare a microscope slide, the student would first take the sample of cells from the meristem using a clean tool. Then, they would place a small amount of the cell sample onto a clean microscope slide. A drop of water may be added to keep the cells hydrated. Next, the student would gently place a coverslip over the sample, avoiding any air bubbles. Finally, the slide would be prepared for viewing under the microscope.
Step 4
Step 5
Describe the structure of DNA and how it can be extracted from plant cells.
Answer
DNA has a double helical structure, consisting of two strands that twist around each other, held together by base pairs of nucleotides (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine). To extract DNA from plant cells, the cells are first lysed using a solution that breaks down cell walls, membranes, and proteins. This is usually followed by the addition of alcohol, which precipitates the DNA, allowing it to be collected as a visible precipitate.