What are the key differences between agarose and agar, and how do these differences impact their applications in laboratory techniques?

Agarose and agar are both polysaccharides derived from seaweed, but they have different properties. Agarose has a higher gel strength and is commonly used for electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments based on size. Agar, on the other hand, is used for microbial culture media due to its ability to support the growth of various microorganisms. The differences in their gel strength and applications make agarose more suitable for techniques requiring precise separation of biomolecules, while agar is better for supporting microbial growth in laboratory settings.