Africa Mid-Point Vocabulary

Front

What is a common ancestor?

Back

A common ancestor is an organism from which two or more different species have evolved. It is the most recent species from which all the descendants share a lineage.

Front

What is a karyotype?

Back

A karyotype is a picture or diagram that shows the number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell, used to identify genetic abnormalities.

Front

Define homozygous genotype.

Back

A homozygous genotype is when an organism has two identical alleles for a particular trait, such as AA or aa.

Front

Define heterozygous genotype.

Back

A heterozygous genotype is when an organism has two different alleles for a particular trait, such as Aa.

Front

Why do organisms have two copies of each chromosome?

Back

Organisms have two copies of each chromosome because they inherit one from each parent, providing genetic diversity and a backup in case one copy is damaged.

Front

What is a genotype?

Back

A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the combination of alleles for a specific trait, such as Aa.

Front

What is an allele?

Back

An allele is a variant form of a gene that can produce different traits. For example, the gene for flower color may have a red allele and a white allele.

Front

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Back

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype refers to the observable traits or characteristics that result from the genotype.

Front

What is the significance of chromosomes in genetics?

Back

Chromosomes carry genetic information in the form of genes, which determine the traits and characteristics of an organism.

Front

What is a gene?

Back

A gene is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building a specific protein, which in turn influences a trait.