Download Section 3 Vocabulary Vocabulary Term Definition heritable

Section 3 Vocabulary
Vocabulary Term
heritable characteristics
Definition
non-heritable
characteristics
are those traits, characteristics or attributes that are acquired over
time
discrete variation
is a difference in characteristics that have a defined form (limited
variations – either/or)
continuous variation
is a difference in characteristics that have a range of forms (many
variations)
DNA (deoxyribonucleic
is the inherited material that is responsible for variation in living
organisms
acid)
are those traits or characteristics that are passed on directly from
parents to offspring
genetic code
is based on the arrangement of the four chemicals (letters) into
instructions (words) that describe how to create any organism
chromosomes
are packages of DNA that classify and categorize the instructions
for
making each individual organism
are uninterrupted segments of DNA which carry specific
instructions
for specific characteristics for an organism
genes
alleles
are those segments of genes (sequence of letters) which identify
different forms of a particular characteristic the DNA will carry out
mitosis
is the reproductive process that produces two new cells with the
same number of chromosomes
meiosis
is the reproductive process that produces two new cells (gametes)
with only half the number of chromosomes
traits
are distinct characteristics of individuals (variations) that appear
as a result of DNA - inherited, or environmentally determined
genetics
is the biological science of heredity (how heritable traits are
passed on from parent to offspring)
purebred
is the selective breeding of those individuals that have only
desirable
traits
is the breeding of those individuals that have desirable traits with
those who may not have the same desirable traits
hybrid
inheritance
is the passing on of DNA specific variations as a result of
reproduction
dominant traits
are those traits carried by alleles that will always show no matter
what other traits characteristics are present
recessive traits
are those traits which are carried by alleles will only show when
recessive alleles from both parents are present in an offspring
incomplete dominance
occurs when the alleles are neither truly dominant, or truly
recessive – an intermediate trait will show
co-dominance
occurs when two dominant traits are present and are blended
together showing a trait that has both