Name: _______________________________________ Block: _________ Date: _____________________
Virtual Mitosis Lab
Objectives:
 Examine cells in the various stages of the cell cycle
 Identify which stage of the cell cycle certain cells are in
 Calculate percentage of time spent in each stage of the cell cycle
 Differentiate between mitosis in plant and animal cells
Plant Cell Mitosis
Procedure:
A. Log on to: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/activities/cell_cycle/cell_cycle.html
B. Read through the information and answer the following questions before you classify any of the cells.
1. Why are onion root tip cells ideal for studying the cell cycle? ______________________________________
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2. How are onion cells prepared in order to view them? ____________________________________________
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3. What are the two major events that happen during interphase? ___________________________________
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4. When do chromosomes first become visible? ____________________________
5. What is the main event that occurs during metaphase? __________________________________________
6. What occurs during anaphase? ____________________________________________________________
7. What is the main event that occurs during telophase? ___________________________________________
8. What is cytokinesis? _____________________________________________________________________
C. Continue to click next. Eventually a picture of an onion cell will appear. You need to click on the phase that
you think the cell is in. You will be told if you are correct. If you are incorrect a clue will be given to help you
determine the right answer. Do this for all 36 cells.
9. After classifying all 36 cells according to the phase they are in, transfer the data onto the table below.
Calculate the percentages for how long each cell spends in each phase using 36 as your sample size.
Interphase
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
Total
number of cells
36
percent of cells
100%
10. What is the longest phase of mitosis? _______________________________
11. Based on your data, does a cell spend more time performing normal cell functions OR dividing?
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12. If this entire cell cycle is 24 hours, how many hours does a cell spend in interphase? _________________
Animal Cell Mitosis
Procedure:
A. Log on to: http://bio.rutgers.edu/~gb101/lab2_mitosis/section2_frames.html
B. Click on “Part 4. Mitosis in an Animal Cell” → Click to Begin → then click on the image to magnify it.
1. What type of animal is being used to study mitosis in animal cells? ________________________________
2. In the box below, sketch each phase of mitosis ONCE. Label the phase. Use the box as a template for the
image. You will only be drawing in four boxes.
3. Describe two differences you noticed between mitosis in animal cells and mitosis in plant cells.
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4. Which stage or stages were the hardest to identify? Explain. _____________________________________
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5. Which stage or stages were the easiest to identify? Explain. ______________________________________
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6. Identify each stage of mitosis:
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