Genetics and Cell Division Flashcards

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering genetics, reproduction, and cell division concepts from the lecture notes.

What is the product of reproduction, defined as a new organism produced by one or more parents?

Offspring

What is a genetically determined characteristic called?

Trait

What term describes the differences between organisms within a population, which can be continuous or discontinuous?

Variation

What type of cell division in body cells is used for growth and repair, producing 2 new cells that are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell?

Mitosis

What term describes chromosomes that have the same structural features (such as length) and pattern of genes?

Homologous chromosomes

What is an organism produced asexually from one parent that is genetically identical to both its parent and siblings?

Clone

What is a diagram or family tree that shows the phenotypes of related individuals?

Pedigree chart

What term refers to having a full set of chromosomes ($2n$) or having a pair of each type of chromosome?

Diploid

What is a fertilised ovum/egg that contains the full set of chromosomes?

Zygote

Pest infestation, disease, drought, or flood are examples of what?

Changing environment

What term describes an individual that carries a gene for a particular recessive trait, does not express the trait, but can pass that trait on?

Carrier

What is a chart that shows all the possible combinations of alleles that can result from a genetic cross?

Punnett square

What is a photograph of an individual's chromosomes cut out and arranged according to their size?

Karyotype

What is a cross between an organism with an unknown genotype and a homozygous recessive organism used to determine the genotype from the offspring?

Test cross

What form of reproduction involves only one parent (usually female) and produces offspring genetically identical to the parent and to each other?

Asexual reproduction

What biological molecules are made up of amino acids, exist in many types, and perform important roles in living systems?

Proteins

What term describes individuals that are homozygous and will always produce the same offspring when crossed together?

Pure breeding

What are the basic building blocks of proteins?

Amino acids

What process results in each new DNA double helix containing one strand from the original molecule and one new strand?

Semi-conservative replication

What is an allele that is always expressed even if only one is present, typically written with an upper-case letter (e.g., 'A')?

Dominant

What term describes having a single set of chromosomes ($n$)?

Haploid

What term describes an individual that has two different alleles for a particular trait?

Heterozygous

What type of cell division occurs in the testes and ovaries to produce 4 new cells (gametes) that are genetically different to each other and to the parent cell?

Meiosis

What is an allele that is only expressed when two of them are present, typically written with a lower-case letter (e.g., 'a')?

Recessive

What term describes the structure of DNA composed of two strands of nucleotides wound around each other?

Double helix

Which cell part contains chromosomes?

Nucleus

What term defines the joining of a male and female gamete?

Fertilisation