Which of the following statements is true about agarose gel electrophoresis?

Agarose gel electrophoresis is a widely used technique for the separation of nucleic acids, particularly DNA and RNA, based on their size. The principle behind this method is that when an electric field is applied across a gel matrix made of agarose, negatively charged nucleic acids migrate towards the positive electrode. Smaller fragments of DNA move more quickly through the gel matrix than larger fragments, resulting in a separation that allows for the determination of size based on how far they travel within the gel.

The ability to separate DNA fragments by size makes agarose gel electrophoresis a critical tool in molecular biology for applications such as DNA cloning, gene identification, and analyzing PCR products. The gel composition can be adjusted to optimize resolution for different sizes of nucleic acids, enhancing its versatility.

In contrast, agarose gel electrophoresis is not used for measuring liquid volumes, does not require heat to function, and is specifically designed for nucleic acids rather than proteins. This unique focus on DNA and RNA separation is a key distinguishing feature of this technique.