Biology 11–12 · Year 12
Gel electrophoresis of food dyes and a size calculator for DNA fragments
Module 5: Heredity (Inheritance Patterns in a Population)
Teacher-led demonstration
A teacher carries out this activity as a demonstration. Its materials, steps, variables, misconceptions and sources are not published on the open web, and neither is any result, control or note that states a number or an amount: tutors and administrators read them on the learning platform, with the safety card first. The idea, the hazards and the curriculum references are below.
Open the procedure on the learning platform (tutor or administrator sign-in)
School laboratory, not for home
In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
This site has no interactive model of its own. Where a step or a material names a Concept Studio model, simulation or tool, it has not been built; an external simulation a step names (for example PhET) is not part of this site.
The idea
Charged molecules travel through a gel at speeds set by size and charge, and a ladder of known sizes calibrates the gel. Food dyes stand in for DNA fragments: the gel shows the separation step that DNA profiling depends on, without running any DNA and without reading an inheritance pattern.
Safety card
Setting: In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
Hazards
- Electricity and liquid together: shock
- Hot molten agar: scalds
- Dyes stain
Controls
At least one of them states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so the controls are shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
Note
Low-voltage electrophoresis and molten agarose: RiskAssess (https://www.riskassess.com.au/).
What you should see
It states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so it is shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
Curriculum references
The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.
- Biology Stage 6 Syllabus (2017), current: Year 11 taught to the end of 2026 and Year 12 to Term 3 2027BIO12-12BIO11/12-4
- Biology 11–12 Syllabus (2025), Year 12 Working scientifically; new syllabus not yet taught: Year 11 from Term 1 2027, Year 12 from Term 4 2027BI-12WS-03BI-12WS-04
- Australian Curriculum v9No Australian Curriculum v9 code is listed.