Science Study Guide

Question 1

What are the traits of an organism determined by?

Answer 1

The structure of protein molecules and the interactions of those protein molecules in a cell.

Question 2

Genes are instructions for ____?

Answer 2

Producing proteins

Question 3

Through sexual reproduction, an organism inherits ____ ?

Answer 3

A random combination of gene versions from its parents.

Question 4

The function of a protein molecule depends on what?

Answer 4

Its structure and how it interacts with other protein molecules.

Question 5

Differences in the structure of protein molecules affect how they ….?

Answer 5

Connect to other protein molecules

Question 6

How many copies of a gene does an organism have for each feature?

Answer 6

Two copies

Question 7

The two copies of a gene for each feature can be _____

Answer 7

the same version and provide instructions for only one type of protein or different versions and provide instructions for two types of protein

Question 8

How do organisms inherit their genes?

Answer 8

Through sexual reproduction

Question 9

How are genes passed on?

Answer 9

Each parent randomly passes on only one of its two copies of each gene to its offspring.

Question 10

How can siblings have different traits from each other and from their parents?

Answer 10

They inherit one gene for each feature from each parent. They can inherit different combinations of genes from one another.

Question 11

allele

Answer 11

a specific form of a gene that provides instructions for making a particular protein molecule

Question 12

chromosome

Answer 12

a long piece of DNA that contains many genes

Question 13

claim

Answer 13

a proposed answer to a question about the natural world

Question 14

DNA

Answer 14

a type of molecule that genes and chromosomes are made of

Question 15

Evidence

Answer 15

information about the natural world that is used to support or go against a claim

Question 16

Feature

Answer 16

a characteristic that all members of a species have

Question 17

Fertilization

Answer 17

when a male and a female reproductive cell combine to create an offspring

Question 18

function

Answer 18

how something works

Question 19

gene

Answer 19

an instruction for making a protein molecule

Question 20

version

Answer 20

a specific form of a gene that provides instructions for making a particular protein molecule

Question 21

heterozygous

Answer 21

having gene versions that are different

Question 22

homozygous

Answer 22

having gene versions that are the same

Question 23

inherit

Answer 23

to receive genes from a parent

Question 24

mutation

Answer 24

a random change to a gene that sometimes results in a new trait

Question 25

nonfunctional protein

Answer 25

a protein molecule that does not perform its function, often because it does not connect to other molecules

Question 26

nucleus

Answer 26

the part of a cell where genes are found

Question 27

offspring

Answer 27

an organism produced as a result of reproduction

Question 28

protein molecule

Answer 28

a type of large molecule that performs important functions inside organisms

Question 29

reasoning

Answer 29

the process of making clear how your evidence supports your claim

Question 30

ribosomes

Answer 30

the parts of the cell that build protein molecules based on instructions from genes

Question 31

scientific argument

Answer 31

a claim supported by evidence

Question 32

sexual reproduction

Answer 32

the process in which two parents pass on their genes to create offspring

Question 33

structure

Answer 33

the way something is shaped or constructed

Question 34

trait

Answer 34

a specific characteristic of an individual organism

Question 35

variation

Answer 35

any difference in traits between individual organisms

Question 36

Organisms can have different proteins in their cells for a ______ ______.

Answer 36

particular feature

Question 37

Genes are instructions for _____.

Answer 37

Proteins