Genetics Vocabulary

1. the molecule that carries genetic information in all living systems
5. chart that shows the inheritance of certain traits through a line of descent
7. the basic physical unit of heredity; a section of DNA occupying a specific location on a specific chromosome
8. structure in a cell's nucleus that contains hereditary information
10. a single step in natural descent; the individuals produced in each successive stage of natural descent
11. tool used to predict the probability of certain traits in offspring; a grid that shows the alleles of each parent and the different ways in which those alleles can combine
12. early type of animal or plant from which a later one has evolved; a person from whom another is directly descended
14. the relationship between two quantities, normally expressed as the quotient of one divided by the other
15. the genetic makeup of an organism; the combination of alleles situated on homologous chromosomes that determines a specific trait
16. an organism with two different alleles for a single trait; having different alleles for any one gene
18. the study of how traits are inherited; the science of heredity
20. children or young born of a particular parent or set of parents; descendants

2. alternate form of a gene for a single trait; any of the possible forms in which a gene for a specific trait can occur
3. Austrian monk and botanist who founded the science of genetics; "The Father of Modern Genetics"
4. inheritance pattern in which two different alleles are both fully expressed in a heterozygous individual (ex: red x white = red/white stripes)
6. the passing of traits from parent to offspring
9. distinguishing characteristic or quality; genetically determined characteristics or conditions
11. the likelihood or chance that something will occur; the relative frequency with which an event occurs or is likely to occur
13. the outward physical appearance of an organism as a result of its genes; observable physical characteristics of an individual
14. a trait which is covered over, or dominated, by another form of that trait and seems to disappear; an allele whose effect is masked by the activity of the second when both are present
17. trait that covers over another form of that trait; allele that masks the effect of another when both are present
19. an organism with two alleles that are the same for a single trait; having the same allele for any one gene