The document discusses polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique used to amplify a single or few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence. It explains that PCR uses DNA polymerase to replicate a specific DNA segment defined by a pair of primers that flank the region of interest. The key steps of PCR including denaturation of DNA, annealing of primers, and extension of primers by DNA polymerase are described. Common applications and requirements of PCR like thermostable DNA polymerase and temperature cycling are also summarized.