Flash Cards: Heredity
This chapter explains the concept of heredity and how traits are passed from parents to offspring, highlighting the importance of genetic variation.
Heredity - Flash Cards
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What is heredity?
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Heredity is the process by which traits and characteristics are passed from parents to offspring through genes.
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What are Mendelian traits?
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Mendelian traits are characteristics that are determined by single genes, following the laws of inheritance established by Gregor Mendel.
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What is the difference between dominant and recessive traits?
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Dominant traits are expressed when at least one dominant allele is present, while recessive traits require two recessive alleles to be expressed.
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What does the law of segregation state?
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The law of segregation states that during gamete formation, the two alleles for a trait separate, so each gamete receives only one allele.
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What is the difference between phenotype and genotype?
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Phenotype is the observable traits of an organism, while genotype is the genetic makeup that determines those traits.
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Give an example of genetic variation.
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An example of genetic variation is the different earlobe types in humans, such as free or attached earlobes.
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What is the difference between homozygous and heterozygous?
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Homozygous means having two identical alleles for a trait, while heterozygous means having two different alleles for that trait.
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What is a Punnett square used for?
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A Punnett square is used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross.
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What is the role of meiosis in heredity?
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Meiosis is the process that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes, maintaining the chromosome number across generations during reproduction.
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What is a gene?
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A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions for making a specific protein, which in turn influences a trait.
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What are chromosomes?
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Chromosomes are structures made of DNA that carry genetic information. Humans have 23 pairs, with one pair being the sex chromosomes.
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How is sex determined in humans?
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In humans, sex is determined by the presence of X and Y chromosomes; females are XX and males are XY.
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What are vestigial structures?
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Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in early ancestors but are largely reduced or unused in modern species.
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What is natural selection?
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Natural selection is the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
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What is a characteristic of asexual reproduction?
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Asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent, with very little genetic variation.
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What is genetic drift?
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Genetic drift is a change in the frequency of a gene variant (allele) in a population due to random sampling of organisms.
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How do environmental factors influence evolution?
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Environmental factors can select for or against certain traits, leading to changes in the population over generations.
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What is a genetic carrier?
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A genetic carrier is an individual who has one copy of a recessive allele that does not manifest in their phenotype but can be passed on to offspring.
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What is hybridization?
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Hybridization is the process of crossing different species or varieties to produce offspring with desired traits.
