Variation

Question 1

What is Continuous variation?

Answer 1

Human height is an example of continuous variation. Height ranges from that of the shortest person in the world to that of the tallest person. Any height is possible between these values.

Question 2

What is discontinuous variation?

Answer 2

Human blood group is an example of discontinuous variation. There are only four types of blood group. There are no other possibilities and there are no values in between. So this is discontinuous variation.

Question 3

Variation within a species can be investigated. For example, if you were asked to find out if there was a link between the length of a pea pod and the number of seeds inside the pod you could:

Answer 3

• measure the length of a range of pea pods
• count the peas inside.

Question 4

Some variation within a species is inherited, and some variation is due to the environment. What are some examples of inherited variation in humans?

Answer 4

• eye colour
• hair colour
• skin colour
• lobed or lobeless ears etc.