Varyation And Inheritance Flashcards
Variation and inheritance
Variation is a term used to describe why we don’t all look the same. It is caused because, following
sexual reproduction, the combination of genetic material from the parents leads to new combinations
and therefore new characteristics in the offspring.
Variation can be discontinuous. Examples of discontinuous variation include blood group and gender.
(i.e. you have one blood group, not a mixture of blood groups.)
Another form of variation is continuous variation. Examples of continuous variation include height and
weight.
Some of these variations are caused by the genetic information you inherit from your parents, but there
are other factors that can alter the expected genetic outcome. The genetic information is stored on
chromosomes which are made from DNA.
You may inherit the genetic information that would make you tall but, if there is not enough food you may
not grow as much.
You may inherit the genetic information that would make you less likely to suffer from heart disease but,
if you eat a lot of fatty foods and don’t exercise, you may increase you chance of heart disease.
