Chapter 3- Heredity

Question 1

heredity

Answer 1

the passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring

Question 2

dominant trait

Answer 2

the trait observed when at least one dominant allele for a characteristic is inherited

Question 3

recessive trait

Answer 3

a trait that is apparent only when two recessive alleles for the same characteristic are inherited

Question 4

gene

Answer 4

one set of instructions for an inherited trait

Question 5

allele

Answer 5

one of the alternative forms of a gene that governs a characteristic, such as hair color

Question 6

phenotype

Answer 6

an organism’s appearance or other detectable characteristic that results from the organism’s genotype and the environment

Question 7

genotype

Answer 7

the entire genetic makeup of an organism; also the combination of genes for one or more specific traits

Question 8

probability

Answer 8

the likelihood that a possible future event will occur in any given instance of the event; the mathematical ratio of the number of times one outcome of any event is likely to occur to the number of possible outcomes of the event

Question 9

homologous chromosome

Answer 9

chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes, that have the same structure, and that pair during meiosis

Question 10

meiosis

Answer 10

a process in cell division during which the number of chromosomes decreases to half the original number by two divisions of the nucleus, which results in the production of sex cells (gametes or spores)

Question 11

sex chromosome

Answer 11

one of the pair of chromosomes that determine the sex of an individual

Question 12

pedigree

Answer 12

a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family