Genetics and Heredity Vocabulary

The molecular instructions for building all living organisms.

• cells

• DNA

• elements

• nucleus

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

This is the combination of genes for one or more specific traits of an organism - its entire genetic makeup.

• Genotype

• Phenotype

• Recessive Trait

• Dominant Trait

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

This refers to an organism's physical appearance or other detectable characteristic.

• Genotype

• Phenotype

• Recessive Trait

• Dominant Trait

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

When parents that have different traits have an offspring, this trait will always appear in their children (the first generation).

• Genotype

• Phenotype

• Recessive Trait

• Dominant Trait

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

One of the alternative forms of a gene that governs a characteristic, such as hair color

• Allele

• Gene

• Trait

• Characteristic

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

When we study the way that traits are passed from parents to offspring, we study this.

• Heredity & Genetics

• Characteristics

• Homologous Chromosomes

• Punnett Squares

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

This table is used to organize all of the possible combinations of characteristics in offspring from particular parents.

• Heredity

• Probability

• Genotype

• Punnett Square

A physical feature that has different forms in a population of organisms

• Characteristic

• Probability

• Genotype

• Allele

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

These chromosomes that carry the same set of genes.

• Homologous Chromosomes

• Heterozygous

• Genotype

• Heterozygous

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

When an organism has two of the same alleles - two dominant or two recessive alleles - its genotype is said to be this.

• Homozygous

• Phenotype

• Heterozygous

• Recessive Trait