Candy Electrophoresis Lab

1. None of my experimental samples contained dyes that didn't match the four reference dyes. The blue reference dye matched up with the two blue samples as being the slowest, and therefore the longest, strands. The only difference between the blue samples and reference dyes is that the blue samples were slightly lighter in color than the reference. The orange, yellow, and red reference dyes matched up with each of the samples in the distance they traveled through the gel.

2. Citrus red 2 has the shortest structure of all the dyes, meaning, like the dyes in our experiment, it would move the quickest and the furthest. The yellow dye in our experiment migrated similarly to how citrus red 2 would migrate because they have similar length. Betanin is the longest, causing it to move the slowest of all the dyes, much like the blue dye in our lab. 

3. Food manufacturers probably do this to modify the appearance of the food to appeal to customers. 

5. The two factors that control the distance are the length and structure of the dye solutions. The smaller, thinner the strand, the faster and farther it migrates. The larger and longer the strand, the slower and less it migrates.

6. The electric current that runs through the gel helps move the dyes because DNA is negatively charged, causing it to be pulled toward the positive side.

7. With the varying structures of the dyes, each dye will move a different distance based on their size. If a group of molecules all have similar size, then they will arrive at approximately the same place along the gel. Therefore, they separate themselves into these groups of size based on how far they migrate during the electrophoresis.

8. I expect the molecules that are heavier to move slower than the lighter ones, because of their mass weighing them down, it hampers them from moving quicker. I think the DNA molecule weighing 600 would move the fastest, and 5000 would move the slowest.