heredity Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is heredity?
Heredity is the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to offspring.
True or False: Genes are the basic units of heredity.
True
What are alleles?
Alleles are different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus.
Fill in the blank: The observable traits of an organism are referred to as its __________.
phenotype
What is the term for the genetic makeup of an organism?
Genotype
True or False: An organism with two identical alleles for a trait is called homozygous.
True
What is the difference between dominant and recessive alleles?
Dominant alleles express their trait even if only one copy is present, while recessive alleles require two copies to express their trait.
What is a Punnett square used for?
A Punnett square is used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross.
True or False: A phenotype can be influenced by environmental factors.
True
What is meant by the term ‘carrier’ in genetics?
A carrier is an individual who has one copy of a recessive allele but does not exhibit the trait.
What is the significance of Mendel’s experiments?
Mendel’s experiments established the basic principles of inheritance, including the laws of segregation and independent assortment.
Fill in the blank: The physical location of a gene on a chromosome is called its __________.
locus
What does it mean for a trait to be polygenic?
A polygenic trait is controlled by multiple genes, leading to a range of phenotypes.
True or False: Sex-linked traits are only found on the X chromosome.
False
What is an example of a sex-linked trait?
Color blindness is an example of a sex-linked trait.
What are the two types of inheritance patterns?
The two types are complete dominance and incomplete dominance.
Fill in the blank: The process by which traits are passed from parents to offspring is known as __________.
inheritance
What is the role of DNA in heredity?
DNA carries genetic information that is passed from parents to offspring.
True or False: All traits are inherited directly from parents without any modification.
False
What does the term ‘genetic variation’ refer to?
Genetic variation refers to the differences in DNA sequences among individuals.
What are mutations?
Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that can lead to new traits.
Fill in the blank: The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics is called __________.
genetics
What is the purpose of a test cross?
A test cross is used to determine the genotype of an individual with a dominant phenotype.
True or False: Genetic traits can skip generations.
True
