Cell Division Answer Key

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

cytokinesis, DNA, interphase, mitosis

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

[Note: The purpose of these questions is to activate prior knowledge and get students thinking.
Students are not expected to know the answers to the Prior Knowledge Questions.]

1. Cells reproduce by splitting in half, a process called cell division. What do cells need to do

A cell must grow.

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?

The DNA must be copied so there is a full set of DNA to pass on to each daughter cell.

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 ( ).

1. Look at the cells. Do they all look the same? No

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.

A. Of the 100 cells shown, how many are in the process of dividing?
Answers will vary (~5-20).

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

are in the interphase stage of their life cycle? Answers will vary (~80-95)).

C. Based on these two observations, would you say that a cell spends most of its life

cycle in interphase or in mitosis/cytokinesis? Interphase

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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?

Answers will vary. [Students may have noticed the material in the cell nucleus lining up and
then splitting apart as two cells form.]

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.
Answers will vary. Sample answers given below
Phase Sketch Summary

The cell grows, DNA is copied, and new

Interphase
organelles form.

Chromosomes are formed from chromatin, and

Prophase the nuclear membrane dissolves. Spindle fibers
form between the centrioles.

The centromere in each chromosome attaches to

Metaphase a spindle fiber, and the chromosomes form a line
along the middle of the cell.

The chromosomes split apart and the two sets of

Anaphase sister chromatids (daughter chromosomes) move
to opposite ends of the cell.

New nuclear membranes form around the two sets

Telophase of daughter chromosomes, which unwind into
chromatin.

The sides of the cell pinch inward, dividing the

Cytokinesis
cytoplasm and forming two daughter cells.

(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:

A. What are the four phases of mitosis?

Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase

B. During which phase is the DNA duplicated? Interphase

C. What is the relationship between chromatin and chromosomes?

During prophase, chromatin condenses to form chromosomes.

D. In which phase are chromatids pulled apart? Anaphase

E. What is the role of the centrioles? Centrioles produce spindle fibers and help to
organize the movement of chromosomes.

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

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

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

Telophase, cytokinesis, and interphase

4. Think and discuss DNA is duplicated before cell division?

ere duplicated, then each daughter cell would only get half of a
complete set of DNA.

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.

Each daughter cell will have 46 daughter chromosomes. Each of the 46 original
chromosomes splits into two daughter chromosomes, so there are two sets of 46 daughter
chromosomes that end up in each cell.

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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.

Data will vary. Sample data given below. Check all calculations.
Trial Interphase Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase Cytokinesis
1 78 10 3 3 3 3
2 79 10 3 1 4 3
3 81 10 3 2 2 2
4 81 8 1 3 3 4
Avg. 79.75 9.50 2.50 2.25 3.00 3.00

2. Analyze: Which phase of the cell cycle is longest? Interphase

Which phases are shortest? Answers may vary. [Metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and
cytokinesis are all very short relative to interphase and prophase.]

Explain your answers: The most cells are in interphase, so interphase is the longest part of
the cell cycle. The fewest cells are in anaphase [this may vary], so anaphase is shortest.

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.
Answers will vary. Check all calculations based on the data recorded above.
Interphase: 0.7975 × 10 = 7.975 hours (7 hours, 58.5 minutes)
Prophase: 0.0950 × 10 = 0950 hours (57.0 minutes)
Metaphase: 0.0250 × 10 = 0.250 hours (15.0 minutes)
Anaphase: 0.0225 × 10 = 0.225 hours (13.5 minutes)
Telophase: 0.0300 × 10 = 0.300 hours (18.0 minutes)
Cytokinesis: 0.0300 × 10 = 0.300 hours (18.0 minutes)

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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
)

Draw a sketch of this graph here.

Graphs will vary. One example shown.

What is the general shape of the graph?

The graph curves up (the slope increases as

time goes by).

[The graph shows exponential growth, typical

for population growth.]

2. Analyze: Look closely at the graph.

A. About how long did it take to grow the first 20 cells? About 25 hours

B. About how long did it take to grow the last 20 cells? About 2-4 hours

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

The rate of cell growth is increasing. It took a long time to grow the first 20 cells, but
not very long to grow the last 20 cells.

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?

Uncontrolled cell division could lead to abnormal growths or tumors. Cancer is an example
of uncontrolled cell division.

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