Genetics Vocabulary Flashcard

Front

What is heredity?

Back

The passing of traits from parent to offspring.

Front

What does DNA stand for?

Back

Deoxyribonucleic acid; the genetic material that carries information about an organism passed from parent to offspring.

Front

What is a recessive trait?

Back

The weaker trait; you need 2 genes for the trait to show up in an organism.

Front

What is genetics?

Back

The science that studies how traits are inherited through the interactions of alleles.

Front

What is a dominant allele?

Back

An allele whose trait always shows up in the organism when the allele is present; represented by capital letters.

Front

What is an allele?

Back

A variant form of a gene that can result in different traits.

Front

What is a genotype?

Back

The genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the alleles it possesses.

Front

What is a phenotype?

Back

The observable characteristics or traits of an organism, determined by its genotype.

Front

What is a Punnett square?

Back

A diagram used to predict the outcome of a genetic cross by showing the possible combinations of alleles.

Front

What is a homozygous genotype?

Back

A genotype consisting of two identical alleles for a trait.