Heredity Terms

3. The very first cell formed when a sperm cell and an egg cell join together.
6. A "weaker" allele that only shows up if the organism has two copies of it and no dominant allele.
8. An organism that has two different alleles for a trait (one dominant and one recessive).
9. The different "versions" or forms of a gene (for example: blue eyes vs. brown eyes).
11. A strong allele that "covers up" others; it only takes one copy for this trait to show up.
13. A specific characteristic of an organism, like eye color, height, or hair texture.
14. A special cell division that creates sperm and egg cells with half the usual number of chromosomes.
15. Having two of the same alleles for a trait (like two "tall" genes). Note: This is often used instead of "homogenous" in biology.

1. The scientific study of heredity and how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
2. The process of a male gamete (sperm) joining with a female gamete (egg) to create a new organism.
4. A cell that has two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
5. The passing of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.
7. A small section of DNA that acts as an instruction manual for a specific trait.
10. The process where one cell divides to form two identical "daughter" cells for growth and repair.
12. A cell that has only one set of chromosomes (like a sperm or egg cell).