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Heredity
Everyone gets certain traits or characteristics from his parents. Heredity is the passing on of these
specific characteristics from one generation to the next. These traits are passed on by genes in our DNA.
DNA is a material found in chromosomes. Chromosomes are located in the nucleus of every cell in the
human body. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. Each child receives one-half of its
chromosomes (23) from each parent, for a total of 46. Therefore, each child inherits one-half of its DNA
from his father and one-half from his mother.
Pieces of information inside a DNA molecule are called genes. A gene gives instructions about making a
certain protein to determine a trait for the person, like color of eyes or hair. A person has a hair color
gene, but inside the gene is a specific pattern which makes the hair black, brown or blonde, for example.
This is called an allele.
Each child inherits two genes for each trait, like hair color or eye color. Some genes are more dominant
than others. That means they win out over the other gene which is called recessive. Brown-eyed genes
win out over blue-eyed genes, unless a person inherits two blue-eyes genes, one from each parent.
Sometimes genes have codominance, meaning that neither gene is dominant over the other. An
example of this is blood type. If one parent has type A and the other has type B, the child will have type
AB blood. A trait may not show up in an individual but can still pass on to the next generation.
A mutation Is a change which occurs in a DNA sequence in a chromosome. This change may be due to
the effects of smoking, alcohol or other environmental effects or mistakes within the cell itself. The
results may be damaging to the body. A mutation can be passed down to a child. Because of certain
mutations, diseases can run in families.
The passing down of genetic material from one generation to another can be seen by looking at children
and their parents. Many traits can be similar, such as size and shape of nose, hair color, eye color, height
or shape of an ear. Sometimes it is easy to spot family traits, and sometimes children don’t have many
characteristics of their parents at all.
Gregor Mendel is called the father of genetics. His research involved using pea plants of different types.
He used smooth, yellow peas and wrinkly green peas. By transferring pollen to and from the flowers of
the plants with a small paintbrush, he found out that certain characteristics of the pea plants were
dominant and others recessive. From these experiments, Mendel was able to describe the way genetic
traits are passed down from parents to children.
In summary, every person inherits certain characteristics from his parents. Heredity is the passing on of
these traits. Genes in our DNA are responsible for controlling what traits each person inherits. A child
receives two genes for each trait, one from his father and one from his mother. The dominant trait will
win out unless the two genes are the same.
00 : 00 : 07
1) Which of the following are responsible for the traits which a person inherits?
A: Nucleus
B: Genes
C: Cell
D: Molecule
2) How many genes for each trait does a child inherit?
A: Two
B: Three
C: Four
D: One
3) How many pairs of chromosomes does a child receive from each parent?
A: 46
B: 23
C: 44
D: 21
4) Which of the following is true about a mutation?
A: It is always damaging to a person.
B: It never harms the next generation.
C: It may harm the next generation.
D: It never passes down diseases.
5) Which of the following did Gregor Mendel use in his experiments on genetics?
A: Human beings
B: Corn plants
C: Mice
D: Pea plants
6) What is the specific pattern inside a gene which determines exactly what color eyes or hair a
person has called?
A: Allele
B: DNA
C: Nucleus
D: Chromosome
Related Topics
Genetics Quiz
Thomas Hunt Morgan Facts
Gregor Mendel Facts
Evolution Theory Timeline
The Science of Genetics
DNA Timeline
Ecology Facts
Gregor Mendel Timeline
The History of Genetics
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