What is a figure legend in a lab report?

A figure legend is a chunk of text that accompanies each figure in a laboratory report. Its purpose is to explain the figure clearly and thoroughly, providing readers with all the information necessary to understand the figure without returning to the main text of the lab report.

What does the gel represent in gel electrophoresis?

At the molecular level, the gel is a matrix of agarose molecules that are held together by hydrogen bonds and form tiny pores. At one end, the gel has pocket-like indentations called wells, which are where the DNA samples will be placed: Before the DNA samples are added, the gel must be placed in a gel box.

How do you describe a gel electrophoresis band?

Bands are the horizontal “bars” which are actually stained DNA molecules embedded in the gel. As the DNA molecules migrate through the gel, they are sorted according to their molecular weight, so that each band represents DNA of a specific molecular weight.

How does gel electrophoresis analyze DNA?

Electrophoresis through agarose or polyacrylamide gels is used to separate, analyze, identify, and purify DNA fragments. The technique is simple, rapid to perform, and capable of resolving fragments of DNA that cannot be separated adequately by other procedures, such as density gradient centrifugation.

What does a figure legend include?

An effective legend is the key to help a figure stand alone. The title should describe what the figure is about. The methods include all (and no more than) the necessary details to understand the figure without referring back to the body text. The results show the key findings as seen in the figure.

What is a legend on a report?

The chart legend contains descriptions for each category in a paginated report chart. A legend always contains one or more legend items, where each legend item consists of a colored box that represents the series, and a text string that describes the series, as indicated in the following illustration.

What does each band represent in gel electrophoresis?

How can PCR and gel electrophoresis be used to identify people?

Length differences are typically used in forensics and paternity testing. The technique of gel electrophoresis separates DNA by size, thus allowing people to be identified based on analyzing the lengths of their DNA.

What is the function of gel electrophoresis in genetic engineering?

Electrophoresis is a laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge. An electric current is used to move molecules to be separated through a gel.