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Questions and Answers
What was one of Rosalind Franklin's significant contributions to DNA research?
What was one of Rosalind Franklin's significant contributions to DNA research?
Which of the following best describes Franklin's role in the DNA research at King's College?
Which of the following best describes Franklin's role in the DNA research at King's College?
In which year did Rosalind Franklin gain her doctorate from Cambridge?
In which year did Rosalind Franklin gain her doctorate from Cambridge?
After her work at King's College, where did Rosalind Franklin conduct research on crop viruses?
After her work at King's College, where did Rosalind Franklin conduct research on crop viruses?
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What was Rosalind Franklin's main area of expertise that proved pivotal for understanding DNA?
What was Rosalind Franklin's main area of expertise that proved pivotal for understanding DNA?
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Study Notes
Rosalind Franklin: Early Life and Career
- Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist, played a pivotal role in discovering DNA's structure.
- Born in 1920, she earned a degree in chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 1941.
- Franklin initially worked as a researcher for the British Coal Utilization Research Association (BCURA) in 1942.
- From 1947 to 1951, she worked under French engineer Jacques Mering, honing her skills in X-ray crystallography.
- She received her doctorate from Cambridge in 1945.
- In 1947, Franklin moved to Paris to specialize in X-ray crystallography, examining the crystalline structure of substances using X-rays.
- This expertise became vital for understanding DNA structure.
Franklin's Contribution to DNA Research
- In 1951, Franklin was appointed to lead X-ray research at King's College, London, unbeknownst to Maurice Wilkins. This period was crucial for unlocking DNA's structure.
- In 1952, Franklin produced the first clear image of crystalline DNA, revealing its double helix shape.
- The 1950s witnessed a fierce race among scientists to decipher DNA's structure.
- James Watson and Francis Crick, along with others, were working on understanding DNA's structure at King's College, competing with Franklin's efforts.
Later Contributions and Legacy
- Franklin moved to Birkbeck College, London, in 1953, where she conducted groundbreaking research on crop viruses.
- Her quote "Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated" reflects her belief in the interconnectedness of science and human experience.
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Description
Explore the remarkable life of Rosalind Franklin, a pioneering British chemist instrumental in discovering DNA's structure. This quiz covers her early career, education, and pivotal contributions to X-ray crystallography that were vital to unlocking the secrets of DNA.
