Rotation of DNA in electric field

AI Thread Summary
DNA molecules, due to their negative charge, can indeed orient and rotate in an electric field, aligning along the field lines. This behavior is utilized in techniques like pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, where the electric field helps to manipulate DNA positioning. The orientation of DNA in the field is influenced by charge distribution, but there are no inherent barriers preventing them from moving toward the positive electrode. Ultimately, the DNA can be arranged along the field lines, confirming the possibility of orientation in an electric field. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for applications in molecular biology and genetic research.
Eagle9
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As known the DNA molecule has got negative electric charge. Imagine that linear (almost like a straight arrow) DNA is placed in water solution and we turn the electric field on. I would like to know if the DNA molecules can orientate/rotate so that they to stay along the field lines of the electric field.
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I have heard that that in Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis exactly this approach is used: the electric field can orientate the DNA molecules.

So, is it possible? :rolleyes:
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Eagle9 said:
As known the DNA molecule has got negative electric charge. Imagine that linear (almost like a straight arrow) DNA is placed in water solution and we turn the electric field on. I would like to know if the DNA molecules can orientate/rotate so that they to stay along the field lines of the electric field.
What prevents them from moving towards the positive electrode?

I guess the orientation will depend on the charge distribution.
 
mfb
What prevents them from moving towards the positive electrode?
Of course nothing
I guess the orientation will depend on the charge distribution.
Perhaps
But I want to know if they are arranged along the field lines or not :rolleyes:
 
Thread 'Motional EMF in Faraday disc, co-rotating magnet axial mean flux'

Thread 'Motional EMF in Faraday disc, co-rotating magnet axial mean flux'

So here is the motional EMF formula. Now I understand the standard Faraday paradox that an axis symmetric field source (like a speaker motor ring magnet) has a magnetic field that is frame invariant under rotation around axis of symmetry. The field is static whether you rotate the magnet or not. So far so good. What puzzles me is this , there is a term average magnetic flux or "azimuthal mean" , this term describes the average magnetic field through the area swept by the rotating Faraday...
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