Mendel's First Law

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms from Mendel's First Law of genetics.

What is the basic idea of genetics in ancient times?

The understanding that traits could be passed from one generation to the next.

Provide an example of domestication of animals.

Selective breeding of dogs for specific traits.

Provide an example of domestication of plants.

Cultivating maize from wild grasses.

What is genetic inheritance?

The process by which genetic information is passed from parents to offspring.

How many genes do we have and what are examples of their roles?

Humans have approximately 20,000-25,000 genes, which can determine traits such as eye color and height.

What does genetic selection affect?

It affects the genotypic and phenotypic traits of populations over generations.

What role do genes play in inheritance?

Genes are the units of heredity that transmit traits from parents to offspring.

What were the seven characteristics that Mendel experimented on plants?

1. Flower color, 2. Flower position, 3. Seed color, 4. Seed shape, 5. Pod color, 6. Pod shape, 7. Stem length.

What does ## refer to?

typically signifies a placeholder for a statistical or mathematical concept.

What was observed when Mendel made offspring of purple and white flower?

The first generation (F1) all had purple flowers, while the second generation (F2) showed a 3:1 ratio of purple to white.

What is an allele?

An allele is a variant form of a gene that can result in different traits.

What are the 4 statements of Mendel's First Law?

1. Each individual has two alleles for each gene. 2. Alleles segregate during gamete formation. 3. Gametes combine during fertilization. 4. Dominant alleles can mask the effects of recessive alleles.

What is a gene?

A gene is a segment of DNA that encodes for a specific trait.

What happens to the formation of a gene when reproduction occurs?

Genes from both parents combine to form a new genotype in the offspring.

What is a dominant allele?

A dominant allele is one that expresses its trait in the presence of another allele.

What is a phenotype?

A phenotype is the observable physical properties of an organism.

What is a genotype?

A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism.

What is a test cross and what is special about it?

A test cross involves breeding an individual of unknown genotype with a homozygous recessive individual to determine the unknown genotype.

What is a pedigree?

A pedigree is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene across generations.

What can be concluded when neither parents nor siblings are affected except a single individual?

It could suggest that the trait is a recessive trait that may have appeared due to a mutation.

What is the rule of product?

The rule of product states that the probability of two independent events occurring together is the product of their individual probabilities.

What is the sum rule?

The sum rule states that the probability of any one of several mutually exclusive events occurring is the sum of their individual probabilities.