Variation Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the definition of a species?
A group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What is known as variation?
Differences between species
What type of variation is shown by characteristics controlled by a single gene?
Discrete variation
Give examples of discrete variation.
- Blood group
- Hand used for writing
- Ability to roll tongue
What type of chart can be produced to show discrete variation in a group of individuals?
Bar chart
What type of variation is shown by characteristics controlled by more than one gene?
Continuous variation
Give examples of continuous variation.
- Height
- Body mass
What type of chart can be produced to show continuous variation in a group of individuals?
Histogram
What determines the body characteristics of organisms?
Genes
How do humans inherit their DNA?
Half from their mother and half from their father
What does each gamete contain?
A complete set of genes
What ensures that humans vary?
The combination of different genes from parents
What is the definition of a phenotype?
The physical appearance of an individual’s genotype
What is the definition of a genotype?
An individual’s alleles for a particular characteristic
What is the definition of an allele?
Different forms of a gene that produce different phenotypes
What is the definition of a dominant allele?
An allele that always produces a certain phenotype
How is a dominant allele represented?
Using a capital letter
What is the definition of a recessive allele?
An allele that can be masked by a dominant allele
How is a recessive allele represented?
Using a lowercase letter
What is the definition of heterozygous?
An individual who has inherited two different alleles of the same gene
What is the definition of homozygous?
An individual who has inherited the same allele for a gene
What type of genetic diagram can be drawn using information from the parental generation?
Monohybrid cross
What can be predicted about the features shown in offspring?
They are inherited from parents, given basic genetic information
