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Genes and Chromosome Inheritance

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Genes and Chromosome Inheritance

Elijah, Diego, and Owen are traveling by train to a science museum. They use the journey to investigate how genes and chromosomes pass information from parents to offspring. Read the information and answer each question. In this worksheet, B and b are alleles in a simplified model; real human eye color is influenced by several genes.

Trace the information

Use these key ideas: a nucleus is inside a cell; chromosomes are found in the nucleus and are made of DNA; genes are sections of DNA that carry instructions.

1.Which statement best describes how genes and chromosomes are related?

Genes are sections of DNA found on chromosomes.
Chromosomes are traits made by genes.
Genes are cells that contain chromosomes.
Chromosomes and genes are unrelated.

2.Complete the sequence from largest structure to smallest: cell → → chromosome → .

3.During reproduction, an offspring receives genetic material from both biological parents. True or false: inherited genes are carried in chromosomes passed on by the parents.

TrueFalse

4.Elijah says that learning to play guitar is an inherited trait because his parent plays guitar. Is he right? Explain the difference between an inherited trait and a learned or environmental influence.

A simplified inheritance model

At the next stop, Diego studies a classroom model for one fictional species. In this simplified model, B is an allele for dark coat color and b is an allele for light coat color. B is dominant, so an organism with BB or Bb has a dark coat; only bb has a light coat. This model is for practicing inheritance patterns, not for describing the many genes involved in human traits.

Parent 2 ↓ / Parent 1 →

____

5.Fill the four boxes in the inheritance grid by combining one allele from each parent. What four offspring allele combinations should appear?

6.Using the grid and the model rules, what fraction of the offspring combinations would have a light coat? Show which allele combination gives a light coat.

7.Owen claims that because both parents have dark coats, every offspring must have a dark coat. Use the model and the grid to evaluate his claim.

Explain and apply

Before the train reaches the museum, the travelers compare what genes can explain with what they cannot.

8.A person's height can be influenced by inherited genetic differences and by environmental factors such as nutrition and health. Explain why saying “height is controlled only by genes” is too simple.

9.A cell has chromosomes containing many genes. Describe how information from a gene can contribute to an inherited characteristic, and name one reason siblings may not be identical.