What is the definition of genetics?
the scientific study of heredity
Genetics explores how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Who is Gregor Mendel?
An Austrian monk known for his work in genetics
Mendel conducted experiments with pea plants to understand inheritance patterns.
What does homozygous mean?
organisms with two identical alleles for a particular trait
Also referred to as true breeding.
What does heterozygous mean?
organisms with two different alleles for a particular trait
Also referred to as hybrid.
Define phenotype.
physical characteristics
Phenotype is the observable expression of a trait.
Define genotype.
genetic makeup
Genotype refers to the specific alleles an organism possesses.
What is a dominant allele?
the allele that is expressed when two different alleles or two dominant alleles are present
Represented by an uppercase letter.
What is a recessive allele?
the allele that is expressed only when two copies are present
Represented by a lowercase letter.
What is a Punnett square?
a grid helpful for predicting the outcomes of genetic crosses
It visually represents allele combinations from parental genotypes.
What is the F1 generation?
the first generation of offspring from a cross of two parental plants
In Mendel’s experiments, all F1 plants were tall.
What is the F2 generation?
the second generation of offspring produced by crossing two F1 plants
Mendel observed the reappearance of the short trait in this generation.
What is the significance of probability in genetics?
used to predict the outcome of genetic crosses
Probability helps determine the likelihood of inheriting specific traits.
True or false: The likelihood of a particular event occurring is called probability.
TRUE
Probability quantifies the chance of specific outcomes in genetics.
What does self-pollinate mean in the context of Mendel’s experiments?
pea flowers allowed to reproduce with themselves
This ensured true breeding for specific traits.
What are traits?
specific characteristics identified by Mendel
Mendel studied seven different traits in pea plants.
What is the outcome of crossing a tall plant with a short plant in Mendel’s experiments?
all offspring in F1 were tall
This demonstrated the dominance of the tall trait.
