SB3f Mendel

Question 1

Recall who discovered the basis of genetics.

Answer 1

Gregor Mendel, who is known as the “Father of Genetics,” was actually the first to suggest that characteristics are passed down from generation to generation

Question 2

Describe how breeding pea plants was used to work

out the basis of genetics.

Answer 2

Mendel studied the inheritance of different characteristics in pea plants. He found that when he bred red-flowered plants with white-flowered plants, all the offspring produced red flowers. If he bred the red-flowered plants with each other, most of the offspring had red flowers, but some had white.

Question 3

Describe why it was difficult to understand

inheritance before the idea of genes.

Answer 3

Mendel’s work was not accepted by most scientists when he was alive for three main reasons: when he presented his work to other scientists he did not communicate it well so they did not really understand it.

Question 4

laws of inheritance

Answer 4

1) each gamete received only 1 factor for characteristic.
2) version of factor that gamete receive is random.
3) versions of factor are more powerful