Heredity Flashcards
Heredity
the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another
Dominant trait
an inherited characteristic that is determined by a dominant allele
Recessive trait
can be carried in a person’s genes without appearing in that person.
Genes
makes up the appearance of a person
Alleles
one of the alternate forms of a gene that governs a characteristic
Phenotype
an organisms appearance or other detectable characteristic
Genotype
the entire genetic makeup of an organism
probability
the likelihood that a possible future event will occur in any given instance of the event
Homologous chromosomes
chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes and the same structure
Meiosis
process in cell division during which the number of chromosomes decreases to half of the original number by two divisions of the nucleus
sex chromosomes
one of the pair of chromosomes that determine the sex of an individual
pedigree
a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family
DNA
a molecule that is present in all living cells and that contains the information that determines the traits that a living thing inherits and needs to live
nucleotide
in a nucleic acid chain, a sub-unit that consists of sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base
RNA
a molecule that is present in all living cells and that plays a role in protein production
