Vocabulary

Question 1

Genetics

Answer 1

The study of heredity; study of how traits are passed down from parent to offspring

Question 2

Heredity

Answer 2

The passing of physical characteristics from parents to offspring

Question 3

Trait

Answer 3

Characteristic that can be passed on to offspring (Ex: height, eye color, and hair color)

Question 4

Gene

Answer 4

The factors that control a trait

Question 5

Allele

Answer 5

The different forms of a gene (Ex: For the gene for “eye color,” brown and blue are two possible alleles

Question 6

Dominant Trait

Answer 6

Trait which prevents the expression of the recessive trait

Question 7

Recessive Trait

Answer 7

Trait whose expression is prevented in the presence of the dominant form of the same trait

Question 8

Cross

Answer 8

A mating between two patents

Question 9

P (parental cross)

Answer 9

The first cross made in a series of crosses

Question 10

F1 (F1 generation)

Answer 10

The offspring of the parental cross

Question 11

F2 (F2 generation)

Answer 11

The offspring of the cross of F1 X F1

Question 12

Genotype

Answer 12

The combination of two alleles the offspring receive from their parents; the genetic makeup of an organism

Question 13

Phenotype

Answer 13

The physical characteristics of an organism; what the organism looks like (Ex: tall or short & yellow or green)

Question 14

Hybrid

Answer 14

An organism that has two different alleles for a trait (Ex: Ss - one dominant and one recessive); the offspring produced by crossing two individuals of unlike alleles (genetic constitution)

Question 15

Purebred

Answer 15

The offspring of many generations that have the same trait (Ex: SS - two dominant alleles and two recessive alleles); homozygous alleles

Question 16

Homologous

Answer 16

Matching genes; having the same relation, relative position, or structure; common ancestor

Question 17

Homozygous

Answer 17

When an organism has two identical alleles for a trait; either two dominant alleles or two recessive alleles

Question 18

Heterozygous

Answer 18

When an organism has two different alleles for a trait; one dominant and one recessive allele

Question 19

Gamete

Answer 19

sex cell; single cell

Question 20

Segregation

Answer 20

When alleles separate from each other during crosses

Question 21

Fertilization

Answer 21

The process in sexual reproduction in which male and female reproductive cells join to form a new cell; The joining of sex cells to form a new living thing

Question 22

Punnet Square

Answer 22

A chart that shows all the possible combinations of alleles that can result from a genetic cross

Question 23

Probability

Answer 23

The likelihood something will happen

Question 24

Offspring

Answer 24

The young creation of living organisms, produced either by sexual or asexual reproduction

Question 25

Chromosome

Answer 25

Threadlike structure within the nucleus that contains genetic information that is passed on from one generation to the next

Question 26

DNA

Answer 26

The molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism

Question 27

Zygote

Answer 27

The first cell of a new living thing; fertilized egg cell

Question 28

Mating

Answer 28

The pairing of either opposite-sex or an organism possessing both male and female organs for the purposes of sexual reproduction; the pairing of two organisms for sexual reproduction