Final answer:
Phage was determined to be the genetic material that can enter bacterial cells and exchange DNA. The experiments by Hershey and Chase showed that only the radioactivity from ³²P entered the bacterial cells, confirming that DNA is the genetic material of phages.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phage was determined to be the genetic material that can enter bacterial cells and exchange DNA. The experiments conducted by Hershey and Chase provided evidence that phage DNA, not protein, is responsible for carrying genetic information.
In their experiments, Hershey and Chase labeled the phage DNA with bold>³²P, and the protein with bold>³5S. They found that only the radioactivity from ³²P entered the bacterial cells, indicating that DNA is the genetic material of phages.