A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
The Hershey-Chase experiment used radioactive labels in phage DNA and protein to show that DNA enters bacteria as hereditary material.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- A1.2.14
- Level
- HL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing7%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceNovember 2025
Most common paperPaper1
Typical marks1–3
Common command terms
- Outline
- Describe
- Explain
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Remembering the experiment name without explaining what each radioactive label tracked.
Recent exam appearances
November 2025Paper1A HL · TZ12[ 1 ]A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
May 2025Paper1B HL · TZ23(b)[ 3 ]A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
May 2024Paper2 HL · TZ25(c)[ 3 ]A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
May 2021Paper1 HL · TZ226[ 1 ]A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
May 2019Paper1 HL · TZ211[ 3 ]A1.2.14 (HL)—Hershey-Chase experiment
Practice this objective
Coverage 2017–2025 · Updated 14 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- Hershey-Chase experiment should be described using precise molecular vocabulary.
- Structure and information must be kept separate: backbones provide continuity while bases carry sequence meaning.
- Exam answers should match the command term and avoid adding unsupported extra claims.