Identify the main reason offspring generally resemble their biological parents.

• They generally live in the same area

• They inherit genetic information from them

• We don't know – it just happens

Answer explanation

Offspring generally resemble their biological parents because they inherit genetic information from them.

Select the option that best completes the following statement. Gregor Mendel is famous for discovering simple inheritance patterns. This is when the appearance or absence of a feature or trait is:

• completely random

• passed on by the mother only

• passed on by the father only

• controlled by a single gene, or unit of inheritance

Answer explanation

Gregor Mendel is famous for discovering simple inheritance patterns where the appearance or absence of a trait is controlled by a single gene, or unit of inheritance.

Define alleles.

• Different patterns of inheritance

• Different versions of a gene

• Traits that are controlled by single genes

• The things that make up genes

Answer explanation

Alleles are different versions of a gene, representing variations in the DNA sequence that can lead to different traits or characteristics.

An organism's phenotype is:

• its set of genes, which help to determine its observable traits

• its set of observable traits, which are determined in part by its genes

• its set of observable traits, which help to determine its genes

Answer explanation

The organism's phenotype refers to its set of observable traits, which are determined in part by its genes. This choice correctly defines the phenotype as observable traits influenced by genetics.

Identify what an organism's genotype is.

• Its set of genes, which help to determine its observable traits

• Its set of observable traits, which are determined in part by its genes

• Its set of observable traits, which help to determine its genes

Answer explanation

An organism's genotype is its set of genes, which help to determine its observable traits. This choice correctly defines genotype.

If an allele is dominant, determine how many copies of it need to be present in an individual's genotype for them to have the associated trait.

• 1

• 2

• 3

Answer explanation

If an allele is dominant, only one copy of it needs to be present in an individual's genotype for them to have the associated trait.

A child needs to inherit two copies of the blue-eyed allele to have blue eyes. Classify that blue-eye allele.

• Dominant

• Recessive

• Simple

• Complex

Answer explanation

The blue-eye allele is classified as recessive because a child needs to inherit two copies of it to have blue eyes, indicating its presence only when both copies are present.

Summarise how alleles are symbolised when describing an organism's genotype.

• Lower case for both alleles, but different letters

• Capital letters for both alleles, but different letters

• Capital letter for the recessive allele; lower case of the same letter for the dominant allele

• Capital letter for the dominant allele; lower case of the same letter for the recessive allele

Answer explanation

Capital letter for the dominant allele; lower case of the same letter for the recessive allele

Determine which of the following genotypes are homozygous.

• RR

• Rr

• rr

• rR

Answer explanation

The homozygous genotypes are RR and rr because they consist of two identical alleles for a particular gene. Rr and rR are heterozygous genotypes with two different alleles.

In humans, brown eyes (B) are dominant and blue eyes (b) are recessive. Determine which of the following genotypes represent a person with brown eyes.

• BB

• Bb

• bb

Answer explanation

In humans, brown eyes (B) are dominant over blue eyes (b). Therefore, genotypes BB and Bb represent a person with brown eyes.