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What is Electrophoresis in general?
Electrophoresis, according the Wikipedia
is “the motion of dispersed particles relative to a fluid under the influence
of a spatially uniform electric field.” Expressed in layman’s terms, this can
be translated to the definition: the movement of electrically charged particles
in a fluid under the influence of an electric field. This phenomenon was
observed first by Ferdinand Frederic Reuss in 1807. He noticed that the
application of a constant electric field resulted in clay particles mixed in
water to migrate.
The electrophoresis of positively
charged particles is called cataphoresis. In a similar sense, the
electrophoresis of negatively charged particles is called anaphoresis. Electrophoresis
is used anytime a separation of molecules is needed. For example, DNA
electrophoresis is used to study the genetic makeup of plants, animals, and
humans. This is an analytical method used frequently in molecular biology and
medicine as it is applied for the separation and characterization of nucleic
acids, proteins, viruses, small organelles, and the likes.
Thank for posting a missed day, and for doing online work. You should feel comfortable asking your mentor for ideas for this kind of activity. See me if you need some ideas.
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