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The Making of a Scientist
Question
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Children everywhere wonder about the world around them. The questions they ask are the beginning of scientific inquiry. Given below are some questions that children in India have asked Professor Yash Pal and Dr Rahul Pal as reported in their book, Discovered Questions (NCERT, 2006).
(i) What is DNA fingerprinting? What are its uses?
(ii) How do honeybees identify their own honeycombs?
(iii) Why does rain fall in drops?

Answer

 DNA fingerprint is a test to identify and evaluate the genetic information-called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in a person's cells. DNA determines the form and function of the cell. Every person has a different DNA information. 

DNA fingerprinting is used to:-

  • Determine a person's parents or siblings
  • Solve crimes (forensic science). Blood, semen, skin, or other tissue left at the scene of a crime are examined. 
  • Identify a body. 

(ii) Honeybees secrete chemicals that leaves indication for the fellow honeybees to reach a source of nectar or honeycomb. Apart from that, they use manifold dance patterns for communication. 

(iii) Water is in a condensed state in the atmosphere. After condensation, the water clings around dust particles, salt or microrganisms etc in the atmosphere to form rain. As soon as, these droplets become too heavy to float, they start falling down to the ground due to the gravitational pull of the earth. So, rain does not come down as a large pool of water.

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Some More Questions From The Making of a Scientist Chapter

What knowledge did he gain by reading the book, 'The Travels of Monarch X’?

Why did Ebright decide to raise butterflies in his basement?

What was his presentation for his first county exhibition? How was it different from others?

What was the project for Ebright eighth grade?

According to the theory, of Ebright why do viceroy butterflies copy monarchs?

What research did Ebright do during his senior year in high school? What did he discover?

How did Ebright get the chance to work in the army laboratory?

What were the factors which contributed to Ebright’s development as a scientist?

How did Ebright’s research on the monarch help him discover new theory of the cells? 

Define DNA?