Genes
A segment of DNA that determines a specific trait.
What is a gene?
The passing of traits from parents to offspring.
What is heredity?
Characteristics that are passed from parents to offspring.
What are traits?
Differences in the genetic makeup of individuals within a population.
What is genetic variation?
The scientist known as the father of genetics.
Who is Gregor Mendel?
The development of traits and characteristics in an organism.
What do genes control?
A trait that is expressed when at least one dominant allele is present.
What is a dominant trait?
Through the genes passed down from parents.
How are traits inherited?
Genetic variation provides a population with the ability to adapt to changing environments.
Why is genetic variation important?
The inheritance of traits in pea plants.
What did Mendel study?
46 chromosomes (23 pairs)
How many chromosomes do humans have?
Blue eye color is an example of a recessive trait.
Give an example of a recessive trait
The physical expression of a trait.
Define phenotype.
A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to genetic diversity.
What is mutation?
Barbara McClintock, known for her discovery of genetic transposition.
Name a famous geneticist.
DNA carries the genetic instructions for the development and functioning of living organisms.
What is the role of DNA?
A diagram used to predict the outcome of a genetic cross.
What is a Punnett square?
The genetic makeup of an organism.
Define genotype.
Environmental factors can influence the expression of genes and traits.
How can environment affect genetics?
The Human Genome Project mapped the entire human genome and advanced our understanding of genetics.
What is the significance of the Human Genome Project?
Different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome.
What are alleles?
Having two identical alleles for a specific trait.
What does it mean to be homozygous?
Both genetic factors and environmental factors can affect traits.
Both genetic factors and environmental factors can affect traits.
The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.
What is natural selection?
The double-helix structure of DNA.
What did Watson and Crick discover?