Centrifuges are also used in biology labs which grow cells. Cells are often grown floating in liquid growth media. Cells can be separated from the growth media using a centrifuge. This means that the cells can then be put into new growth media, treated with chemicals or analysed.
Centrifuges in labs can spin tubes around at thousands of rotations per minute. The forces generated are thousands of times the force of gravity. To give you an idea of what that means, when you go on a roller coaster, you sometimes get the experience of being sucked into your seat. The highest force you might experience on a roller coaster is only 5 g, or 5 times gravity.
Centrifuges are also used for nuclear power. Nuclear energy relies on different isotopes of chemicals, that is the same chemical but with different weights. Centrifuges can be used to separate out the different isotopes.
Questions
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1 |
Blood is an example of cells in ________. |
2 |
In what order are the layers that form in a suspension? |
3 |
What force is generated in a centrifuge? |
4 |
Why do we separate out donated blood? |
5 |
How are cells often grown in labs? |
6 |
How does the spin cycle on a washing machine act like a centrifuge? |