This document provides answers to 44 questions about genetics and inheritance. Some key points covered include: - Neck length in giraffes is an inherited trait that cannot be changed by behavior. - Asexual reproduction requires only one parent and produces offspring that are genetic copies. - Inherited traits like beak size can help animals survive changes in the environment. - Genetic engineering is the manipulation of genetic material to modify organism traits. - Sexual reproduction requires the joining of egg and sperm to produce offspring with a mix of parents' genes.

2. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
1.True or False: Neck length of a
giraffe is an inherited trait and
cannot be changed by the
giraffe's behavior.

3. ANSWER:
TRUE! You cannot pass
ACQUIRED TRAITS onto
offspring.

4. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
2. How many parents are required in
asexual reproduction?

5. ANSWER:
One.
Asexual reproduction is a mode of
reproduction by which offspring arise from a
single organism, and inherit the genes of
that parent only. The offspring is an
identical genetic copy of its parent.

6. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
3. How do inherited traits help
animals survive?

7. ANSWER:
For example:
Birds in a desert climate survive on soft parts of cactus.
Scientists observed that during a drought, many of the
birds died. The ones that survived had larger beaks
and were able to crack open and eat hard seeds that
would ordinarily not be used. The next generation of
birds all had large beaks. The inherited trait of larger
beaks help the birds change foods so they could
survive.

8. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
4. Define: Genetic Engineering

9. ANSWER
The deliberate modification of the characteristics of an
organism by manipulating its genetic material.
Farmers benefit from the study of genetic engineering.
For example: Many U.S. farmers who grow genetically
engineered (GE) crops are realizing substantial
economic and environmental benefits -- such as lower
production costs, fewer pest problems, reduced use of
pesticides, and better yields -- compared with
conventional crops

10. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
5. The joining of an egg and
sperm takes place in what type
of reproduction?

11. ANSWER:
Sexual reproduction

12. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
6. How does asexual
reproduction occur in the
human body?

13. ANSWER:
Cells in the body divide to form
new cells.

14. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
7. Both parents of a cat have
green eyes. This cat's offspring
also have green eyes. This is
an example of what type of
trait?

15. ANSWER:
An inherited trait.

16. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
8. Bacteria reproduce sexually
by dividing in two. How does
the genetic material of the
offspring compare to the parent
cell?

17. ANSWER:
The offspring are identical to
their parent, as long as no
mutations have occurred. They
are 100% genetically the same.

18. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
9. Genetic diseases are________
traits passed down from parent
to offspring.

19. ANSWER:
Genetic diseases are
INHERITED traits passed
down from parent to offspring.

20. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
10. Is being a good basketball
player an inherited trait or an
acquired trait? Explain:

21. ANSWER:
Being a good basketball player is an
acquired trait. You have to work and
practice to be a great basketball player.
You are not born to be a great
basketball player just because your
parents may have been great
basketball players. You cannot inherit
an acquired trait.

22. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
11. Do the following organisms
reproduce sexually or
asexually?
• Human
• Amoeba
• Squirrel
• Lobster

23. ANSWER:
Human- Sexually
Amoeba- Asexually
Squirrel- Sexually
Lobster- Sexually

24. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
12. Sperm and eggs are known
as_______________cells.

25. ANSWER:
Sperm and eggs are sex cells.

26. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
13. __________chromosomes
determine your gender.

27. ANSWER:
Sex chromosomes determine
your gender.

28. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
14. Genes carry information that
determine your_________.

29. ANSWER:
Genes carry information that
determine your traits.

30. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
15. The passing of traits from
parent to offspring is called
_________________.

31. ANSWER:
The passing of traits from parent
to offspring is called heredity.

32. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
16. If you cross a purple flower
with the genotype pp, with a
red flower with the genotype
PP, the possible genotypes in
the offspring are:
(draw a Punnett Square)

33. ANSWER:
All four choices of offspring on
the Punnett Square would be
Pp.
They would all be heterozygous
and would have the dominate trait
of being a red flower.

34. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
17. Male sex chromosomes are
represented by which two
letters?

35. ANSWER:
Male sex chromosomes- XY

36. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
18. Female sex chromosomes
are represented by which two
letters?

37. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
Female sex chromosomes- XX

38. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
19. Define phenotype:

39. ANSWER:
Phenotype- The organisms expressed
physical trait. For example: blonde
hair, blue eyes, dark skin, etc.
The genotype is the set of alleles that
determines the expression of the
trait, for example: AA, Aa, aa

40. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
20. Which of the following is an
example of a phenotype?
a. Blue eyes
b. BB
c. Fingers
d. All of the above

41. ANSWER:
The PHENOTYPE is the
expressed physical trait, so it
would be the BLUE EYES.

42. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
21. Both of an organism's
inherited alleles are
its__________________.

43. ANSWER:
The inherited alleles are its
GENOTYPE.
A genotype is the set of alleles that
determine the expression of a
particular trait. For example: AA,
Aa, aa

44. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
22. Define homozygous.

45. ANSWER:
Relating to a cell that has two identical
alleles for a particular trait.
For example:
RR (two dominant alleles)
rr (two recessive alleles).
REMEMBER: Homo means SAME.
Hetero means DIFFERENT.

46. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
23. Define heterozygous.

47. ANSWER:
Relating to a cell that has two different
alleles for and takes on the dominate
trait.
For example: Rr, Pp, Ss
REMEMBER: Homo means SAME.
Hetero means DIFFERENT.

48. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
24. If and organism is purebred
(homozygous) for a trait it has
two _______or two ________
alleles.

49. ANSWER:
For an organism to be purebred, it
would have to have two dominant or
two recessive alleles.
For example: RR or rr
It would NOT be heterozygous: Rr

50. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
25. How does adaptation help an
organism?

51. ANSWER:
Adaptations help to improve the
organism's ability to survive
and reproduce new offspring.

52. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
26. Why would a farmer use
selective breeding?

53. ANSWER:
In plants, a farmer may use selective breeding
to produce larger fruits, make plants more
disease resistant, or have a better yield
(produce MORE fruit).
In animals selective breeding may be used to
breed the cows that give the most milk, or
chickens that lay the most eggs, etc.

54. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
27. What is a chromosome?

55. ANSWER:
Chromosomes are the structures
in a cell that are made of DNA.

56. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
28. Define gamete:

57. ANSWER:
A cell that fuses with another
reproductive cell of the
opposite sex during
fertilization. (a sex cell)

58. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
29. Who is Gregor Mendel?
Where did he do his research?

59. ANSWER:
Gregor Mendel is known as the
Father of Genetics. He was a
monk who did his research in a
monastery. He crossbred pea
plants to learn more about how
traits are passed on from parent
to offspring.

60. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
30. What is a Punnett Square
used for?

61. ANSWER:
A Punnett Square is a tool used
to predict possible offspring
combinations of two parents
through sexual reproduction.

62. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
31. In eukaryotic cells, which
organelle contains the DNA?

63. ANSWER:
DNA is found in the NUCLEUS of
a cell.

64. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
32. How do the large flat teeth of
a cow help it to survive?

65. ANSWER:
The large flat teeth of a cow help
it to more easily grind grasses
better. Eating grass helps the
cow to survive.

66. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
33. What adaptive advantage do
the stripes on the tiger provide?

67. ANSWER:
The stripes on a tiger provide
camouflage in tall grass.

68. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
34. Why do wolves have large,
sharp teeth?

69. ANSWER:
Wolves have large, sharp teeth to
help them kill their prey.

70. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
35. Can a fish live on land? Why
or why not?

71. ANSWER:
A fish has traits adapted for a
water environment but not a
land environment. So, a fish
cannot live on land.

72. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
36. What characteristic would you
expect an insect to have?
a. High adaptability
b. Low reproductive rate
c. Few different kinds
d. Ability to fly

73. ANSWER: A- HIGH ADAPTABILITY
Insects are extraordinarily adaptable creatures,
having evolved to live successfully in most
environments on earth, including deserts and the
Antarctic. The only place where insects are not
commonly found is the oceans. If they are not
physically equipped to live in a stressful environment,
insects have adopted behaviors to avoid such
stresses. Insects possess an amazing diversity in
size, form, and behavior.

74. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
37. Why would an insect be more
likely to survive than a monkey
if placed into another
ecosystem?

75. ANSWER:
Insects are extraordinarily adaptable creatures, having evolved
to live successfully in most environments on earth, including
deserts and the Antarctic. The only place where insects are
not commonly found is the oceans. If they are not physically
equipped to live in a stressful environment, insects have
adopted behaviors to avoid such stresses. Insects possess
an amazing diversity in size, form, and behavior.
The adaptablitly of insects would make them more likely to
survive than a monkey placed into another ecosystem.

76. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
38. Why do dairy cows produce
more milk per cow than ever
before?

77. ANSWER:
People have changed the genetic
make-up of cows.

78. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
39. When a genetic trait allows a
group of animals to be more
likely to survive and reproduce,
what happens to that trait?

79. ANSWER:
That trait will become more
common because the animals
with the trait will reproduce and
their offspring will inherit the
trait.

80. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
40. Why are the bones of a bird
hollow?

81. ANSWER:
The hollow bones make the bird
lighter and so it is easier for the
bird to fly.

82. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
41. Why do dogs grow thicker
fur in the winter and shed it in
the summer?

83. ANSWER:
The ability to grow and shed hair
gives dogs the ability to survive
in different weather patterns.

84. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
42. List four examples of
adaptations that animals might
have to make them better able
to survive their environment.

85. ANSWER:
There are MANY examples. Here are a few:
• A snow-shoe hare has a white coat in winter
to blend in with the snow.
• A cheetah can fun really fast and get away
from predators or catch prey.
• A skunk sprays a really bad smell to warn
off predators.
• A porcupine has quills to defend itself from
predators.

86. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
43. Define natural influences

87. ANSWER:
Natural Influences explain how organisms in
a population develop traits that allow them
to survive and reproduce. These traits will
most likely be passed on to their offspring.
The trait becomes more common.
REMEMBER- Pepper Moths example.

88. STANDARD 4 REVIEW
44. Define man-made influences.

89. ANSWER:
Artificial selection or man-made influences
occur when humans select which plants or
animals to breed to pass specific traits on
to the next generation. For example, a
farmer may choose to breed only cows that
produce the best milk and not breed cows
that produce less milk. The trait becomes
more common.