8D Variation and Inheritance

Question 1

How many chromosomes do you have in each body cell?

Answer 1

You have 46 chromosomes in every body cell.

Question 2

What does environmental variation mean?

Answer 2

Environmental variation means small differences in characteristics caused by external influences.

Question 3

Who was Charles Darwin?

Answer 3

Charles Darwin was an English naturalist during the reign of Queen Victoria. His journey as a ship’s doctor allowed him to visit many new places and study the plants and animals he saw there.

Question 4

Where in the cell are chromosomes found?

Answer 4

The chromosomes are found in the nucleus.

Question 5

Give 4 reasons for a decline in biodiversity in some areas

Answer 5

The 4 reasons for a decline in biodiversity in some areas are H – Habitat destruction. I – Invasive species
P – Population, P - Pollution, O – Over harvesting.

Question 6

What important idea did Charles Darwin write?

Answer 6

Charles Darwin published the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection (though he wan’t the only one to think it!)

Question 7

What is the red list?

Answer 7

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species shares information about the conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species.

Question 8

Give an example of discontinuous variation

Answer 8

Discontinuous (also called discrete) variation normally has a yes or no answer e.g. eye colour, tongue rolling, blood type.

Question 9

Define the term biodiversity.

Answer 9

Biodiversity is the variety of plant/animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.

Question 10

Inherited variation is one kind of variation. What is the other kind called?

Answer 10

Inherited variation is one kind of variation. The other kind is called environmental variation.

Question 11

Give an example of continuous variation

Answer 11

Continuous variation normally has a range of answers and can be measured on a scale e.g. height, weight, arm length.

Question 12

What shape is the DNA molecule?

Answer 12

The shape of the DNA molecule is a double helix.

Question 13

What kind of graph do we create from data collected about continuous variation?

Answer 13

The kind of graph we create from data collected about continuous variation is a scatter or line graph (not a bar chart).

Question 14

Which sex chromosomes make up a male and which make up a female?

Answer 14

The sex chromosomes which make up a male are XY and which make up a female are XX .

Question 15

What does the term extinction mean?

Answer 15

Extinction of a particular animal or plant species occurs when there are no more individuals of that species alive anywhere in the world - the species has died out.

Question 16

Give an example of a feature which shows inherited (genetic) variation.

Answer 16

Choose from many e.g. Eye colour, hair colour, skin colour, ability to roll tongue, attachment of ear lobes, hair texture, blood group.

Question 17

Name an extinct animal.

Answer 17

There are many extinct animals. Think of your favourite dinosaur!

Question 18

Give a feature that could called both environmental and inherited.

Answer 18

A feature that could called both environmental and inherited could be intelligence or height.

Question 19

Explain why an area with a high biodiversity is better than an area with a low biodiversity.

Answer 19

An area with a high biodiversity is better than an area with a low biodiversity because If one species becomes extinct or population numbers are low it doesn’t affect the ecosystem and cause the whole ecosystem to decline.

Question 20

Name an example of environmental variation.

Answer 20

An example of environmental variation could be freckles, glasses, a scar, bleached hair colour, piercings, weight, tattoos,

Question 21

What does the word variation mean?

Answer 21

Variation means differences in characteristics between individuals