Penn Foster Biology, Genetics and Inheritance Exam Questions and Answers Rated A-
Trisomy - Answers having three copies of a chromosome instead of two
euploid - Answers organism with the appropriate number of chromosomes
Aneuploid - Answers organism with more or less chromosomes inappropriate for species
X inactivation - Answers organism has too many X chromosomes, so one is inactivated, not expressed
Barr bodies - Answers inactive extra X chromosome
complex traits - Answers genes interact to give rise to different phenotypes
multifactorial traits - Answers Dean's interactive ride to different phenotypes
karyotype - Answers a way to describe how many chromosomes an organism has and what the
chromosomes look like structurally
sister chromatids - Answers The Identical copies of each chromosome that appears to be paired
together in the karyotype
centromeres - Answers the location where the sister chromatids are closest together
Pedigree - Answers family tree
polymorphisms - Answers genetic alterations that happened in more than 1% of the population
silent mutation - Answers a mutation in a protein coding region of a gene which doesn't change the
amino acid that the condon and codes
shotgun sequencing - Answers DNA is randomly broken up, sequence and then the sequences are put
back together via a computer
selective breeding - Answers breeding organisms to get the desired characteristics
Genetics - Answers the study of genetic makeup of living organisms
Heredity - Answers the variations present in Offspring who inherit characteristics from their parents
deoxyribonucleic acid - Answers also called DNA, it contains the genetic blueprint for a living organism
and is passed on across Generations
Chromosomes - Answers thread-like structures form tight coils of DNA located in the cell's nuclei and
most living organisms; contain the genetic instructions for the organism and serve as its blueprint
double helix - Answers a set of parallel helical structures, such as those found in DNA
Genes - Answers a sequence of genetic code in (DNA that encodes a specific trait, such as eye color
, Hybridization - Answers pretty one animal or plant with another variety of animal or plant
Hybrid - Answers formed by combining two different elements; in genetics, a hybrid refers to cross
breeding two different periods of a plant or animal
botany - Answers the scientific study of plants
offspring - Answers children progeny
expression - Answers manifestation of a gene in the phenotype of an organism
breeding - Answers mating and production of Offspring by living organisms such as plants and animals
cross breeding - Answers braiding one species or variety of an organism with a different breed, species,
or variety
cross pollination - Answers cross breeding of plants, such as pea plants
mendelian inheritance - Answers Three Laws derive from Mendel's studies that dictate the patterns of
how Offspring inherit the characteristics of their parents
Pollination - Answers the act of transferring pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part of
the plant; fertilizes the plant and helps produce a new plant semikolon enables plants to make seeds,
which contains the genetic information needed to produce a new plant
Mendel's Laws - Answers the law of segregation, love and dependent assortment, and law of dominance
Phenotype - Answers the set of observable characteristics of an organism
Genotype - Answers and organism's genetic composition
Homozygous - Answers Gene in which both alleles are the same; the characteristic that's bred
homozygous is said to be purebred because both alleles are the same.
heterozygous - Answers a gene in which the two alleles are different
Allele - Answers a version of a Gene Simmons Colin each organism inherits two alleles from each gene.
linked genes - Answers genes located on the same chromosome
dominant gene - Answers a gene that's always expressed when it's present
recessive gene - Answers a gene that is only expressed when the individual has two copies of the gene
Punnett Square - Answers chart used to show that all different ways the genes from the two parents can
combined and be passed on to Future offspring
Gamete - Answers male or female germ cell (sperm cell in male and egg cell in females) that fuses with
opposite gamete in reproduction
Trisomy - Answers having three copies of a chromosome instead of two
euploid - Answers organism with the appropriate number of chromosomes
Aneuploid - Answers organism with more or less chromosomes inappropriate for species
X inactivation - Answers organism has too many X chromosomes, so one is inactivated, not expressed
Barr bodies - Answers inactive extra X chromosome
complex traits - Answers genes interact to give rise to different phenotypes
multifactorial traits - Answers Dean's interactive ride to different phenotypes
karyotype - Answers a way to describe how many chromosomes an organism has and what the
chromosomes look like structurally
sister chromatids - Answers The Identical copies of each chromosome that appears to be paired
together in the karyotype
centromeres - Answers the location where the sister chromatids are closest together
Pedigree - Answers family tree
polymorphisms - Answers genetic alterations that happened in more than 1% of the population
silent mutation - Answers a mutation in a protein coding region of a gene which doesn't change the
amino acid that the condon and codes
shotgun sequencing - Answers DNA is randomly broken up, sequence and then the sequences are put
back together via a computer
selective breeding - Answers breeding organisms to get the desired characteristics
Genetics - Answers the study of genetic makeup of living organisms
Heredity - Answers the variations present in Offspring who inherit characteristics from their parents
deoxyribonucleic acid - Answers also called DNA, it contains the genetic blueprint for a living organism
and is passed on across Generations
Chromosomes - Answers thread-like structures form tight coils of DNA located in the cell's nuclei and
most living organisms; contain the genetic instructions for the organism and serve as its blueprint
double helix - Answers a set of parallel helical structures, such as those found in DNA
Genes - Answers a sequence of genetic code in (DNA that encodes a specific trait, such as eye color
, Hybridization - Answers pretty one animal or plant with another variety of animal or plant
Hybrid - Answers formed by combining two different elements; in genetics, a hybrid refers to cross
breeding two different periods of a plant or animal
botany - Answers the scientific study of plants
offspring - Answers children progeny
expression - Answers manifestation of a gene in the phenotype of an organism
breeding - Answers mating and production of Offspring by living organisms such as plants and animals
cross breeding - Answers braiding one species or variety of an organism with a different breed, species,
or variety
cross pollination - Answers cross breeding of plants, such as pea plants
mendelian inheritance - Answers Three Laws derive from Mendel's studies that dictate the patterns of
how Offspring inherit the characteristics of their parents
Pollination - Answers the act of transferring pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part of
the plant; fertilizes the plant and helps produce a new plant semikolon enables plants to make seeds,
which contains the genetic information needed to produce a new plant
Mendel's Laws - Answers the law of segregation, love and dependent assortment, and law of dominance
Phenotype - Answers the set of observable characteristics of an organism
Genotype - Answers and organism's genetic composition
Homozygous - Answers Gene in which both alleles are the same; the characteristic that's bred
homozygous is said to be purebred because both alleles are the same.
heterozygous - Answers a gene in which the two alleles are different
Allele - Answers a version of a Gene Simmons Colin each organism inherits two alleles from each gene.
linked genes - Answers genes located on the same chromosome
dominant gene - Answers a gene that's always expressed when it's present
recessive gene - Answers a gene that is only expressed when the individual has two copies of the gene
Punnett Square - Answers chart used to show that all different ways the genes from the two parents can
combined and be passed on to Future offspring
Gamete - Answers male or female germ cell (sperm cell in male and egg cell in females) that fuses with
opposite gamete in reproduction
