Inherited Traits

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Heredity Noun

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[huh-red-i-tee]

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Heredity

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The biological process of transferring genetic traits and characteristics from parents to their offspring across successive generations.

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Example: This diagram shows a simple family tree, representing how traits are passed down from parents to their offspring across generations.

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Inherited Trait Noun

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[in-her-it-ed trayt]

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Inherited Trait

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A specific characteristic of an organism that is genetically determined and passed down from parents to their offspring.

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Example: This family tree, called a pedigree chart, shows how a trait (represented by the red shapes) is passed down from parents to their children across multiple generations.

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Acquired Trait Noun

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[uh-kwahy-erd trayt]

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Acquired Trait

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A characteristic that an organism develops during its lifetime due to environmental influences, which is not genetically inherited.

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Example: A person's large muscles are an acquired trait because they are developed through the behavior of exercising, not inherited from their parents.

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Cell Noun

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[sel]

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Cell

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The basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all known living organisms, often called the 'building blocks of life'.

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Example: This diagram shows a basic animal cell, highlighting the nucleus, which contains the genetic material (DNA) that determines an organism's inherited traits.

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Nucleus Noun

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[noo-klee-uhs]

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Nucleus

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A membrane-bound organelle within a eukaryotic cell that contains the cell's hereditary material, including chromosomes and DNA.

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Example: This diagram shows the nucleus, which contains chromatin. Chromatin holds the genetic information (DNA) that determines inherited traits like eye color and height.

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Chromosome Noun

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[kroh-muh-sohm]

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Chromosome

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A thread-like structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.

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Example: This diagram shows a chromosome is a structure inside a cell's nucleus, made of tightly coiled DNA, which carries the genetic information for inherited traits.

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Gene Noun

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[jeen]

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Gene

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A specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is located on a chromosome and codes for a functional product.

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Example: This diagram shows that a gene is a specific segment of a DNA molecule, which is tightly coiled into a chromosome found inside a cell's nucleus.

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Allele Noun

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[uh-leel]

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Allele

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One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place.

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Example: This diagram shows that an allele is a specific version of a gene, like 'A' or 'a', located at a specific spot on a chromosome.

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Dominant Allele Noun

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[dom-uh-nuhnt uh-leel]

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Dominant Allele

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An allele that produces the same phenotype whether its paired allele is identical or different, masking the recessive allele's effect.

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Example: This diagram shows that the dominant allele for brown eyes (B) determines the eye color even when the recessive allele for blue eyes (b) is present.

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Recessive Allele Noun

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[ri-ses-iv uh-leel]

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Recessive Allele

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An allele that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its paired allele is identical and no dominant allele is present.

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Example: This diagram shows a recessive allele ('a') on a chromosome. An organism will only show the recessive trait if it inherits two copies ('aa').