How does DNA replicate?
When you grow, you produce more cells, and in each cell you need DNA in order for that cell to produce proteins. If a cell divides, it’s going to split the DNA between the two cells. If you don’t copy the DNA, then some of the code will go to one cell, and some will go to the other. DNA replication is the process whereby DNA copies itself, to produce two identical copies. Firstly the DNA unwinds. It starts off in its right-handed helix, and then straightens out and splits up. This means that the individually weak hydrogen bonds break, and the nitrogenous bases of each nucleotide are left exposed. Any nucleotides floating about could come along and form hydrogen bonds with the exposed base. This is exactly what happens. There are loads of free-floating nucleotides, and so when the bases of the DNA are exposed, a complimentary DNA nucleotide (e.g. if adenine was exposed, a nucleotide containing thymine would come along) will bind with the exposed base. This is build up in the 5′ to 3′ di
