Genetics, Heredity, & Punnett Squares

White tigers always have blue eyes. What does this imply about a tiger’s genes?

• A. White tigers are heterozygous for white fur.

• B. White tigers are heterozygous for blue eyes.

• C. Natural selection favors blue eyes as an adaptation to white fur.

• D. Natural selection has produced a single gene that controls both fur color and eye color.

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A female sheep with green eyes and a male sheep with brown eyes have a lamb with blue eyes. What explains why the lamb has a different eye color than its parents?

• A. Blue eyes occur randomly in some lambs without any influence from the parents.

• B. Eye color depends on environmental factors and is not affected by the parents.

• C. The parents carry the gene for blue eyes which is passed to their offspring.

• D. The lamb has both green and brown pigments, which mix in the eyes and create the blue pigment.

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Two snapdragon plants are crossed. One plant produces red flowers and the other plant produces white flowers. The cross between these two plants produces snapdragon plants with pink flowers. Which statement explains why the offspring have pink flowers?

• A. The offspring have two copies of the allele that codes for pink.

• B. The offspring have one allele that codes for red and one allele that codes for white.

• C. The flower color is determined by the dominant parent.

• D. The flower color is determined by environmental conditions.

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89. The hairline pattern called a widow’s peak is an inherited trait that is easily visible in humans. For people who express this trait, their

hairline forms a V shape above the forehead. People who do not express the trait for a widow’s peak have a straight hairline above the forehead.

Which statement best explains how traits such as a widow’s peak are inherited?

• A. Offspring can express traits from genes they inherited from both parents.

• B. Offspring can only express traits from genes they inherited from only one parent.

• C. Offspring can express traits from genes they inherited from a source other than the parents.

• D. Offspring can only express traits from genes they inherited from the parent that is the same gender.

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The following genotypes were found in a male fox (BbTt) and a female fox ( bbTT). Which of the following choices is true of the phenotype of offspring from these parents?

• A. All offspring will have bushy tails.

• B. All offspring will have hairless tails.

• C. All offspring will have brown fur.

• D. All offspring will have gray fur.

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Many people of ancient cultures once believed Earth was flat. Today, most people know that Earth is sphere. Which statement best explains why beliefs about Earth’s shape changed over time?

• A. People became more intelligent over time.

• B. Evidence supporting a spherical shape was presented.

• C. Ancient cultures lacked the tools to measure Earth’s circumference.

• D. More scientists believed that Earth was a sphere than believed that Earth was flat.

What is the main difference between a scientific law and a theory?

• A. A law is established based on a theory, whereas a theory can be independent of prior knowledge.

• B. A law is based on empirical evidence, whereas a theory is an educated guess.

• C. A law can be changed as new information is obtained, whereas a theory does not change.

• D. A law describes regular patterns in nature, whereas a theory explains the pattern.