Inheritance Flashcards
What is continuous variation?
Measurable differences (ie shoe size, weight, heart rate)
What is the difference between organisms?
Variation
What is discontinuous variation?
Distinct characteristics (ie eye and hair colour)
What is an allele?
A different form of a gene
What is a dominant allele?
One that always shows up in the appearance of an organism
What is a recessive allele?
Only shows up in the appearance if they have inherited two of them
What is a genotype?
Combination of alleles
What is a phenotype?
The appearance
What is meant by the term homozygous?
To identical alleles of a gene
What is meant by the term heterozygous?
Two different alleles of the gene
What is fertilisation?
A random process involving an element of chance
What is discontinuous variation?
Single gene inheritance
What is polygenic inheritance?
When characteristics are controlled by the alleles of more than one allele