Enter the initial number of DNA copies and the number of PCR cycles into the calculator to determine the number of DNA copies after n cycles. This calculator can also evaluate any of the variables given the others are known.
Pcr Cycle Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the number of DNA copies after a certain number of PCR cycles.
C = I * (2^n)
Variables:
- C is the number of DNA copies after n cycles
- I is the initial number of DNA copies
- n is the number of PCR cycles
To calculate the number of DNA copies after a certain number of PCR cycles, multiply the initial number of DNA copies by 2 raised to the power of the number of PCR cycles.
What is a Pcr Cycle?
A PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) cycle is a process used in molecular biology to amplify a single or few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence. The cycle involves three steps: denaturation, annealing, and extension/elongation. These steps are repeated typically 20-40 times in a machine called a thermocycler, doubling the number of DNA molecules with each cycle. This allows scientists to produce enough DNA to study in detail.
How to Calculate Pcr Cycle?
The following steps outline how to calculate the PCR Cycle using the formula C = I * (2^n).
- First, determine the initial number of DNA copies (I).
- Next, determine the number of PCR cycles (n).
- Next, substitute the values of I and n into the formula C = I * (2^n).
- Finally, calculate the number of DNA copies after n cycles (C).
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem:
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Initial number of DNA copies (I) = 10
Number of PCR cycles (n) = 3
