Across
- 4. Probability is the likelihood or chance of a specific event occurring. In genetics, probability is used to predict the likelihood of certain traits or combinations of traits appearing in offspring based on the known genetic information of the parents.
- 5. the branch of biology that studies how traits are passed from parents to offspring. It involves the study of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms.
- 6. Multiple alleles refer to the existence of more than two alleles for a particular gene in a population. However, an individual can still only have two alleles, one from each parent.
- 9. a diagram used to predict the possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring in a genetic cross. It is named after Reginald Punnett, who developed this tool. The Punnett square is based on the principles of Mendelian genetics and helps visualize the possible combinations of alleles.
- 10. refers to having two different alleles for a particular gene. In a heterozygous individual, one allele may be dominant and the other recessive, resulting in the expression of the dominant allele in the phenotype.
- 14. the process by which male and female gametes (reproductive cells) combine to form a new individual. It occurs during sexual reproduction and leads to the formation of a zygote.
- 15. refers to a population of organisms that consistently produce offspring with the same traits as the parents when they are self-fertilized or crossed with other true-breeding individuals. This indicates that the traits are homozygous and stable across generations.
- 17. a specific characteristic or feature of an organism that can be inherited or influenced by genes. Traits can include physical attributes, such as eye color or height, as well as behavioral or physiological characteristics.
- 18. specialized reproductive cells, such as sperm and eggs, that are involved in sexual reproduction. Gametes are haploid, meaning they contain only one set of chromosomes, and they combine during fertilization to form a zygote.
- 19. a variant form of a gene that determines a specific trait. Each gene can have multiple alleles, and an individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent.
Down
- 1. a principle of genetics that states that during meiosis, the alleles for different traits segregate independently of one another. This means that the inheritance of one trait does not influence the inheritance of another trait.
- 2. a type of cell division that occurs in the reproductive cells to produce gametes. It involves two rounds of division, resulting in the formation of four haploid cells. Meiosis ensures genetic diversity by shuffling and recombining genetic material.
- 3. refers to the observable physical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics of an organism. It is determined by the interaction between an individual's genotype and the environment.
- 7. offspring resulting from the crossbreeding of two individuals from different species, varieties, or populations. Hybrids often exhibit a combination of traits from both parents.
- 8. genetic phenomenon where neither allele of a gene is completely dominant over the other. Instead, the heterozygous individual displays an intermediate phenotype that is a blend of the two alleles.
- 11. refers to having two identical alleles for a particular gene. In a homozygous individual, both alleles may be either dominant or recessive, resulting in the expression of the corresponding trait in the phenotype.
- 12. traits that are controlled by multiple genes. These traits often show a wide range of phenotypic variation and are influenced by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Examples of polygenic traits include height, skin color, and intelligence.
- 13. a genetic phenomenon where both alleles of a gene are fully expressed in the phenotype of an individual. This results in a distinct phenotype that shows characteristics of both alleles.
- 16. refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the combination of alleles for a particular trait. It represents the genes an individual carries, which may or may not be expressed in the phenotype.