 Heredity: sum of qualities that were passed from your ancestors through your parents to you.  Makes you unique  Hair color, facial features, height??  Helps you understand yourself  Major factor in personality development

Influence the way you look, feel and behave. Chromosomes: carry heredity information from each parent. Inherit 23 chromosomes from each parent=46 DNA Allele: 2 per gene.. One from mom and one from dad Gene: basic unit of heredity Traits: characteristics

What are your characteristics that have been inherited from your parents? Ex: Blue eyes like my mother Curly hair like my father

 Dominant: stronger gene  Recessive: weaker gene  Dominant gene always overrules a recessive gene.  Recessive genes only show up when two genes are present.

 Genotype: genetic constitution of someone Capital letter=dominant Lowercase letter=recessive Phenotype: actual characteristic (what shows up)

 Determines what possible gene pairs may result from combining two genes.  Genes of parents indentified on adjacent sides of square  Each possible combination recorded in box.  UmMs

 X and Y are sex chromosomes  Female=XX  Male=XY  Sex determined by the father