Trait
the characteristics of an organism that can be inherited, or acquired, or inherited and affected by the environment (acquired)
Inherited Trait
traits passed down from parent to offspring; traits you are born with
Offspring
a person's child, an animal's young; the next generation
Genetics
a branch of biology that studies heredity; the mechanisms of how traits are passed down
Heredity
the passing down of traits from one generation to another
DNA
short for deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule in the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic code for the organism
Phenotype
the physical appearance of an organism.
Genotype
A set of alleles an organism has for a trait
Punnett square
In genetics, table used to predict what traits offspring will have, based on what traits the parents have.
Heterozygous
Having different alleles for one trait ex:Bb
Homozygous
Having two like alleles for a hereditary trait ex: BB, bb
Generation
Represents an age group,examples such as parents, grandparents, and children being different generations.
Pedigree
a graphic organizer or diagram that keeps track of family relationships and traits.
Allele
one of a pair of genes that determine a specific trait
Genes
segment of DNA, found on a chromosome, that determines the inheritance of a particular trait
Chromosome
A structure located in the nucleus of a cell, made of DNA, contains genetic information needed to carry out cell functions and make new cells
Dominant
A certain trait that when paired with another, will always show
Recessive
a trait masked by the dominant trait
Purebred
an organism that carries only dominant OR only recessive alleles for a trait (can only pass on one form to offspring)
Meiosis
a type of cell division for sex cells that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell
Mitosis
a type of cell division for any cell that isn't a reproductive cell in which the nucleus divides into nuclei containing the same number of chromosomes