B14.1 Variation

Question 1

What is variation ?

Answer 1

The differences in the characteristics of individuals in a population

Question 2

What are the three main causes of variation ?

Answer 2

• genetic variation Eg hair colour and eye colour or blood type
• environment Eg scars and learned behaviours
• both genes and environments Eg Height in humans

Question 3

Why is height both genetic and environmental ?

Answer 3

Some people have alleles that make they likely to grow taller however they need to have enough calcium in their bones to fully develop

Question 4

What are mutations ?

Answer 4

Random changes to DNA

Question 5

Why is there variation within a population ?

Answer 5

Random genetic mutations