Science Experiment for Kids: Seeing Your DNA	When people think of DNA they usually visualize the elegant  œtwisted ladder  shape seen in everything from advertising logos to Biology textbooks. This visual is actually a kind of artist s conception. It is a kind of scientific model useful in helping us understand how DNA functions but in reality impossible to see.	The structure of a molecule is far too small to be seen with even the most powerful of microscopes. Rosalind Franklin used the process of X-ray crystallography to make an image of the DNA molecule that was used by Watson and Crick to build that first model; but X-ray crystallography is a bit complex for most students to do at home.	Still some of you might want to do something a bit more dramatic than building a DNA model out of toothpicks and gumdrops. You might not be able to actually see little ACT and G pieces or even a single DNA strand but did you know that you can use some common kitchen ingredients to extract DNA from your own cells  � DNA that you CAN see? First read this related article: DNA: Definition Structure & Discovery.    	What You Need:	What to Do:	Why you did what you did:	1. Why did I have to swish so long?	First you had to collect enough cells to work.You are also using the salts in the sports drink to begin to break the cell membrane and the membrane around the nucleus to free the DNA.	2. Why did I use the soap?	Cell membranes are made up of two layers consisting of fats sugars and salts. The fats are on the inside of the membrane where they can avoid touching the water that surrounds the cell. Detergent molecules have two ends. One end of a detergent molecule is attracted to fat and the other end is attracted to water. When you wash your dinner plate; the fat-loving end of the dish detergent molecule attaches to the grease from your hamburger and the water-loving end attaches to the water in the sink. In the cheek solution you were using the detergent to move the broken up cell membranes away from the DNA.	3. Why did I use pineapple juice?	Pineapple juice and meat tenderizer both contain enzymes that further help to break down the cell membrane.	4. Why did I use ice cold alcohol?	The DNA was dissolved in the water contained in the sports drink. DNA does not dissolve in alcohol. When the cold alcohol was layered on top of the cheek cell solution the DNA precipitated out of solution.	5. Why did I twirl the skewer?	Remember that famous DNA model. The DNA molecule is a very long strand with a gentle twist. Your visible DNA material is actually many thousands of these strands clumped together. Gently twirling the skewer allowed many of these strands to wind around your skewer like thread around a spool.	6. What else can I try?	Try extracting DNA from fruits like bananas or strawberries. Try leafy vegetables like spinach or kale. Take DNA from seeds like raw nuts or peas. Use about 2 cups of plant material and about half a cup of water and a tablespoon of salt instead of Gatorade. You will probably need to mix it in a blender as swishing that much in your mouth would be kind of hard!	Questions to explore:	More science experiments: