Genetics & Heredity

Growth & Development 1. What is a life cycle? - begins with a fertilized egg; some animals develop inside their mother’s bodies; others develop inside a protective egg and then hatches out; some protists are mature from the moment they are born

2. What is metamorphosis? - the changes that an organism undergo as they grow mature 3. How does cell division help organisms grow? - cell division result in new cells that have the same function as the old ones

Cell Division 4. Explain mitosis. - process called by which most cells divide; directed by nucleus; produces copies of parent cells. 5. What are chromosomes? - threadlike structures in the nucleus which has DNA; has information that directs cells functions

6. What is asexual reproduction 6. What is asexual reproduction? - the production of new organisms without two different parents 7. What is one way organisms reproduce asexually? - yeast reproduces when a tiny bud forms on a parent cell; mitosis takes place in that cell, and a copy of its chromosome is passed on to the bud; when the bud is grown, its breaks off

8. What is a zygote? -a fertilized cell; receives a chromosome from each parent 9. What is sexual reproduction? - has two types of cells-body cells and reproduction cells, or gametes- ( contain only half the number of chromosomes of body cells)

10. Why do members of chromosome pairs separate during mitosis 10. Why do members of chromosome pairs separate during mitosis? - so that each new cells has exactly the same DNA as the parent cell 11. Explain meiosis. - Meiosis creates four genetically unique cells from the mother cell; formed reproductive cells, or gametes

Inherited Traits 12. Explain inherited traits. - a characteristic passed from parents to their offspring; Examples: hair, eye color, skin color, etc… 13. Why are some humans short while some are tall? - the height of humans depends on the factors they inherit from their parents

Dominant & Recessive Traits 14. Explain dominant traits. - the trait that will appear in an offspring when two different traits are passed on from the parents. 15. Explain recessive traits. - the trait that will appear in an offspring only if both parents pass on that trait

16. Explain genes. - the part of a chromosome that contains the DNA code for an inherited trait; located in the nucleus 17. How does meiosis affect inheritance through your genes? - it produces gametes (reproductive cells) that have only half the chromosomes of each parent, enabling each parent to pass only half of his or her genes to the offspring

Other Factors Affecting Characteristics 18. Explain instincts. - a behavior that an organism inherits; Examples: building shelters, caring for young, finding food, etc… 19. What effects do instincts have on an animal’s survival? -enables an animal to carry out behaviors needed for survival-such as eating and sleeping without having to learn them

20. Explain learned behavior 20. Explain learned behavior. - a behavior an animal acquires through experience Examples: hunt, kill, shake hands, wash hands, etc… 21. How are most animal behaviors learned? -through teaching by adults of the same species or by humans.

22. What are environmental influences 22. What are environmental influences? - everything in its surroundings that affects it, including water, soil, air, weather, landforms, and other living things.