Why is it important to prevent thermometer from resting no the bottom of the test tube?

It's important to not touch the sides or the bottom of the test tube with the thermometer because touching it to the sides or bottom of the test tube fractures the glass and does not allow for correct temperature measurements.

as in mitosis, dna replication occurs during interphase.   in meiosis, it occurs specifically in s phase of interphase 1.