Well Im in 7th grade and from what i know (Im in honors) that they did not discover the double helix but they made a model of it. But it was actually Rosland Franklins work! Its actually pretty intresting! I hope that helped.
ADD: Watson and Crick used the work of several scientists in order to develop their model of DNA and suggest a method of replication. Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins received a Nobel Prize for their work on the structure of DNA. Rosalind Franklin did not receive the Nobel Prize because she had died of cancer before the Nobel Prize was given. If she had been alive she would have more than likely shared in the Nobel Prize.
The work of Chargaff, Wilkins, and Franklin formed the basis for the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953. Their research on the chemical composition and x-ray diffraction patterns of DNA provided crucial insights that helped in deciphering the structure of the DNA molecule.
Chargaff discovered that in DNA the percentages of adenine and thymine were the same, and the percentages of cytosine and guanine are the same. This led to the idea of base-pairing between adenine and thymine, and cytosine and guanine.
Watson and Crick's DNA structure supported Chargaff's rules by showing that the base pairs are complementary and form specific hydrogen bonds (A with T and G with C), consistent with Chargaff's observation. This structure provided a molecular explanation for Chargaff's rule that the amount of adenine equals the amount of thymine and the amount of guanine equals the amount of cytosine in DNA.
James Watson and Francis Crick are credited with the base pairing rules and DNA structure in general. Erwin Chargaff is credited with the rules of base pairs in that the number of pyrimidines is equal to the number of purines.
Erwin Chargaff discovered that the amount of adenine (A) is equal to the amount of thymine (T), and the amount of guanine (G) is equal to the amount of cytosine (C) in DNA. This finding, known as Chargaff's rules, provided the crucial clue that led to the discovery of DNA's double helix structure by Watson and Crick.
Chargaff has Chargaff's rule named after him. That is that the number of A=T and the number of G=C in DNA.Franklin discovered the diffraction patterns of DNA. Watson and Crick put it all together, surmising that DNA is a double helix, with about 10 nucleotide base pairs per turn, and a major gap and a minor gap. They made a wire model.
Three events that led to understanding the structure of DNA are: Chargaff's Rules, Franklin's Discovery, and Watson and Crick's Model.
Chargaff's rules stated that the amount of adenine should roughly equal thymine, and cytosine should roughly equal guanine in DNA. This helped Watson and Crick understand the base pairing rules, which were crucial in developing their double helix model of DNA.
Three events that led to understanding the structure of DNA are: Chargaff's Rules, Franklin's Discovery, and Watson and Crick's Model.
The work of Chargaff, Wilkins, and Franklin formed the basis for the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953. Their research on the chemical composition and x-ray diffraction patterns of DNA provided crucial insights that helped in deciphering the structure of the DNA molecule.
Chargaff's work laid the foundation for the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA, but his contributions were not directly recognized when the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Watson, Crick, and Wilkins in 1962 for their discovery. It is speculated that Chargaff's exclusion may have been due to his controversial personality and his strained relationships with other scientists in the field.
In Watson's book, Rosalind Franklin was depicted as a talented X-ray crystallographer who made significant contributions to the discovery of the structure of DNA. However, she was often marginalized and her contributions were not fully recognized at the time. Watson's portrayal of Franklin has been criticized for being dismissive and reinforcing gender biases in science.
Franklin, Crick, and Watson were scientists who made significant contributions to understanding the structure of DNA. Franklin's X-ray diffraction images provided crucial information about DNA's helical structure, which Watson and Crick used to propose the double helix model. Wilson is not typically associated with this work.
Chargaff disliked Watson and Crick because he felt they did not properly credit his research on DNA base composition in their publications. He believed that they failed to acknowledge his work when developing the double helix model of DNA.
Chargaff discovered that in DNA the percentages of adenine and thymine were the same, and the percentages of cytosine and guanine are the same. This led to the idea of base-pairing between adenine and thymine, and cytosine and guanine.
Watson and Crick's DNA structure supported Chargaff's rules by showing that the base pairs are complementary and form specific hydrogen bonds (A with T and G with C), consistent with Chargaff's observation. This structure provided a molecular explanation for Chargaff's rule that the amount of adenine equals the amount of thymine and the amount of guanine equals the amount of cytosine in DNA.
In "The Double Helix," James Watson portrayed Rosalind Franklin as a formidable scientist whose work contributed to the discovery of the DNA structure. However, Watson's portrayal of Franklin was criticized for being condescending and sexist, as he focused on her physical appearance and personality rather than her scientific contributions.