Why does the inactive x appear to stain much darker than the other chromosomes?

The inactive X is called also as Barr body. It stains much darker than the other chromosomes because of the fact that it is inactive. By being inactive it means that the chromatin of that chromosome is very compact because it is not used for gene expression. Being so compact, all the staining is concentrated creating a darker body.

1) clean up you lab area2) dispose of the chemicals as instructed by your teacher3) put everything back where it belongs unless your teacher tells you otherwise4) dispose of gloves5) wash hands with soap and water