Name: ______________________________________ Date: ________________________

Student Exploration: Cell Division

Vocabulary: cell division, centriole, centromere, chromatid, chromatin, chromosome,

cytokinesis, DNA, interphase, mitosis

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. Cells reproduce by splitting in half, a process called cell division. What do cells need to do
between divisions to make sure that they don’t just get smaller and smaller?
They just grow
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2. The genetic information of a cell is carried in its DNA (short for deoxyribonucleic acid). What
do cells need to do between divisions to make sure that a full set of DNA gets passed on to
each daughter cell?

Duplicate their chromosomes

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Gizmo Warm-up
On the SIMULATION pane of the Cell Division Gizmo, check that
the Cycle Length is set to 12 hours. Click Play ( ), observe until
the maximum number of cells is shown, and then click Pause ( ).

Notexactly
1. Look at the cells. Do they all look the same? _______________

2. Cells that are in the process of dividing are said to be in mitosis

or cytokinesis. Cells that are not dividing are in interphase.

Check the Magnify box and move the cursor over the cells.

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A. Of the 100 cells shown, how many are in the process of dividing? _______________

B. Select the BAR CHART tab, and turn on Show numerical values. How many cells

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are in the interphase stage of their life cycle? ______________________________
1
C. Based on these two observations, would you say that a cell spends most of its life

interphase
cycle in interphase or in mitosis/cytokinesis? _______________________________

2018
 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
 Click Reset ( ).
Phases of the cell  Select the DESCRIPTION tab.
cycle  Click on the right arrow once so that Interphase is
shown.

Question: What are the stages of the cell cycle?

1. Observe: Click Play and hold the cursor over the cell. Observe the cell as it divides several
times. (This happens quickly!) What do you notice happening during this process?

The cells aregoing the of

mitosis and reproducing
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through stages
andoveragain
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Over

2. Summarize: On the DESCRIPTION pane, read about each phase in the cell cycle. In the
spaces below, sketch the cell in each phase and summarize what occurs in your own words.

Phase Sketch Summary

During interphase, the cell grows and matures.
Interphase is divided into three stages: G,, S, and Gz. G, is
Interphase characterized by cell growth and development. During the S stage,
the DNA contained in the cell's chromatin is duplicated. G, is
characterized by the synthesis of organelles.
This is the rst phase of mitosis. In early prophase, the nucleolus disappears
and chromatin condenses to form visible chromosomes. Each chromosome
Prophase consists of two chromatids connected by a centromere. Outside the nucleus,
spindle bers form between the centrioles, which migrate to opposite ends of
the cell. At the end of prophase, the nuclear membrane dissolves away.

This is the second phase of mitosis. The centromeres of each chromosome

are attached to spindle bers. The spindle bers change in length, pulling the
Metaphase chromosomes into a line along the equator of the cell.

This is the third phase of mitosis. The centromeres split, and the sister
chromatids are pulled to the opposite poles of the cell by the spindle bers.
Anaphase This phase ends when the chromatids, now called daughter chromosomes,
reach the poles and stop moving.

This is the fourth and nal phase of mitosis. During this phase, a nuclear
membrane forms around each set of daughter chromosomes and the
Telophase nucleolus reappears in each nucleus. The daughter chromosomes then
unwind into chromatin.

After mitosis is complete, two identical nuclei are formed.

Cytokinesis During cytokinesis, the sides of the cell pinch inward, dividing
00 0 the cytoplasm and forming two daughter cells, each
containing a complete copy of the parent cell's DNA.

(Activity A continued on next page)

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Activity A (continued from previous page)

3. Analyze: Use your summaries and the Gizmo to answer the following questions:

Prophase
A. What are the four phases of mitosis? _____________________,

Metaphase Anaphase
_____________________, _____________________, Telephase
_____________________

Interphase
B. During which phase is the DNA duplicated? _____________________

C. What is the relationship between chromatin and chromosomes? ______________

Chromatin condenses to form visible chromosomes

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D. In which phase are chromatids pulled apart? _____________________

Anaphase

They help spindlefibers

E. What is the role of the centrioles? _______________________________________

F. telphatz
In which phase does a new nuclear membrane develop? _____________________

Metaphase
G. A cell has a single line of chromosomes. What is the phase? ___________________

H. During which three phases are individual chromosomes no longer visible?

Interphase
_____________________, _____________________,
Prophase _____________________
cytokenitis

4. Think and discuss: Why is it important that the cell’s DNA is duplicated before cell division?
To make sure each daughter cell gets a full and identical set of DNA
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5. Challenge: Human cells have 46 chromosomes. Each chromosome consists of a pair of

identical chromatids attached together by a structure called a centromere. Once the
chromosome has split, each chromatid is called a daughter chromosome. At the end of
cytokinesis, how many daughter chromosomes will be found in each cell? Explain.
I think 46 because aren’t they all identical
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2018
 Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready:
Duration of  Click Reset.
phases  Select the TABLE tab.

Question: What is the relative duration of each phase of the cell cycle?

1. Collect data: Set the Cycle Length to 10 hours and click Play. Click Pause when the
maximum number of cells has been reached. On the TABLE tab, click Record data.

Record the number of cells in each phase of the cell cycle in the table below. Then click
Play, wait for a while, and click Record data again. Repeat this process until you have
recorded four sets of results, and then find the average number of cells in each phase.

Trial Interphase Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase Cytokinesis

1
79 10 3 1 4 3
2
79 10 3 2 3 3
3
79 10 3 2 4 2
4
79 10 3 2 3 3
Avg.
79 10 3 1.75 3.5 2.75
Anaphase
Interphase Shortest? ____________
2. Analyze: Which phase of the cell cycle is longest? ____________

I mean they just have the least

Explain your answers: _______________________________________________________

in that stage on average

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3. Calculate: You can use your data to estimate the duration of each phase of the cell cycle.
For example, if 8% of the cells were in prophase and the cell cycle was 10 hours long, then
prophase would last 8% of 10 hours, or 0.8 hours (48 minutes).

Use percentages to estimate the duration of each phase of the cell cycle. Show your work.

Interphase:
79
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Prophase:
10
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Metaphase:
3
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1.75
Anaphase: __________________________________________________________

Telophase:
3.5
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Cytokinesis:
2.751
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2018
 Get the Gizmo ready:
Extension:
 Click Reset.
Cell populations  Select the GRAPH tab.
 Set the Cycle Length to 5 hours.

Question: How quickly do cells multiply?

1. Collect data: Click Play to start a new

simulation. Click Pause when the maximum
number of cells is reached. View the total
number of cells on the GRAPH tab. (Click the
“–” button until the whole graph is visible.)
it
Draw a sketch of this graph here.

What is the general shape of the graph?

____________________________________

____________________________________

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2. Analyze: Look closely at the graph.

A. About how long did it take to grow the first 20 cells? __________________________
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B. About how long did it take to grow the last 20 cells? __________________________

C. Would you say the rate of cell growth is increasing or decreasing? Explain.

Increasing heavily belause

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the more the faster

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3. Extend your thinking: In living organisms, the cell cycle is closely regulated. What do you
think will happen if cell division is not controlled?

overpopulate
They will heavily
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2018