Science Fair Projects World

Observing Mitosis in Onion Root Tips

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in

Objective

Examine the stages of mitosis using a microscope to view cells in an onion root tip.

Materials

  • Onion
  • Knife
  • Microscope slides
  • Stains (e.g., acetocarmine)
  • Microscope
  • Notebook for observations

Instructions

  1. Cut a small piece from the tip of an onion root.
  2. Place the root tip on a microscope slide.
  3. Apply a few drops of stain to the root tip.
  4. Cover with a cover slip and gently press it down.
  5. Observe the root tip under a microscope at high magnification.
  6. Identify and record the different stages of mitosis (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase) in the notebook.
  7. Sketch each stage as observed under the microscope.
  8. Analyze the frequency of cells in each stage to understand the process of cell division.