Final answer:
DNA replication is termed semiconservative because, in each new DNA molecule, one original parental strand is conserved along with one newly synthesized strand, making up the two strands of the double helix.
Step-by-step explanation:
DNA replication is called semiconservative because each of the original DNA duplexes appears in each of the two daughter DNA duplexes formed in replication. This process ensures that one strand of the parental double helix is conserved in each new DNA molecule. The two DNA copies that result are identical and contain one strand from the parental DNA and one newly synthesized strand, reflecting the semiconservative method of DNA replication.
In the semiconservative replication model, each original DNA strand serves as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. This means that after DNA replication has occurred, the two new double-stranded DNA molecules each have one old (parental) strand and one new (daughter) strand. The outcomes of the Meselson and Stahl experiment provided strong support for this model over the conservative and dispersive models of DNA replication.