Mendel and Early Ideas About Heredity

Vocabulary flashcards covering Gregor Mendel's genetic experiments, methods of plant pollination, true-breeding traits, and dominant and recessive genetic factors.

Heredity

The passing of traits from parents to offspring.

Genetics

The study of how traits are passed from parents to offspring.

Gregor Mendel

An Austrian monk who performed controlled breeding experiments more than 150 years ago (during the 1850s) to disprove blending inheritance; recognized as the Father of Genetics.

Blending inheritance

An early idea about heredity suggesting traits mix together, which was disproved by Gregor Mendel's research.

Pea plants

Organisms studied by Mendel that were ideal for genetics because they reproduce quickly, have easily observed traits (such as flower color and pea shape), and allowed controlled pairing.

Pollination

The event that occurs when pollen lands on another flower.

Self-Pollination

Pollination that occurs when pollen from one plant lands on the flower on the same plant.

Cross-Pollination

Pollination that occurs when pollen from one plant reaches the flower of a different plant, occurring naturally through wind, water, or animals such as bees.

True-breeding plant

A plant that, when it self-pollinates, always produces offspring with traits that match the parent.

Dominant trait

A genetic factor that blocks another genetic factor.

Recessive trait

A genetic factor that is blocked by the presence of a dominant factor, and is observed only when two recessive genetic factors are present in offspring.

First Generation ($F_1$)

The generation resulting from crossing true-breeding purple-flowered plants and true-breeding white-flowered plants, in which $100\%$ of plants have purple flowers.

Second Generation ($F_2$)

The generation resulting from Mendel's crosses where $75\%$ of plants have purple flowers.