HEREDITY & GENETICS

Heredity

The study of the passing on of traits from parents to kids. Learn how and why physical and

behavioral characteristics are passed on to from parents to offspring.

Trait

A person’s behavioral and physical characteristics. Example: brown hair, blue eyes, etc. Can also be behavioral such as

personality.

Gene

A specific trait. Example: hair color is a trait whereas a

gene is the specific color such as brown. Trait = Hair Color / Gene = Brown, Blonde,

Red Trait = Height / Gene = Tall or Short Trait = Personality / Gene = Outgoing,

Quiet

Offspring

A child in relation to its parents.

Phenotype

A person’s physical characteristics. Example: Tall or short, Blonde or

brunette, etc.

Gg =

Genotype

An organisms genetic code represented by letters. Example: AA, Aa or aa

Gg GG

Allele

The different forms of a trait that a gene might have. Example: GG or Gg

Dominant

A trait that covers up another trait. Example: An uppercase “A”.

Recessive

A trait that gets covered up by an dominant trait. Example: An lower case “a”.

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles for a trait. Example: AA or aa

Heterozygous

Having two different alleles for a trait. Example: Aa

Purebred

Both alleles are the same. The same genetic code is passed on by both parents. Example: AA

Hybrid

The two alleles for a trait are different. The genetic code that is passed on by each parent is different. Example: Aa

Chromosome

A threadlike strand that contains DNA and is found in the nucleus 0f each cell. Humans have 23 unique chromosomes. Example:

DNA

Found in the chromosomes and transmits genetic information. Example: