Heredity and Evolution
Q1. What is heredity?
A. The process by which traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Q2. Who is known as the father of genetics?
A. Gregor Johann Mendel.
Q3. What are Mendel's three laws?
A. Law of Dominance, Law of Segregation, and Law of Independent Assortment.
Q4. What is a gene?
A. A unit of heredity that controls the expression of a trait.
Q5. What are alleles?
A. Different forms of the same gene.
Q6. What is genotype?
A. The genetic makeup of an organism.
Q7. What is phenotype?
A. The observable characteristics of an organism.
Q8. Define dominant trait.
A. A trait that is expressed in the presence of its contrasting form (recessive).
Q9. Define recessive trait.
A. A trait that is masked in the presence of a dominant trait.
Q10. What is evolution?
A. The gradual change in living organisms over generations.
Q11. Who proposed the theory of natural selection?
A. Charles Darwin.
Q12. What is variation?
A. Differences in traits among individuals of the same species.
Q13. Why is variation important?
A. It helps species adapt to changing environments and survive.
Q14. What is a fossil?
A. The preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.
Q15. Name one method of determining fossil age.
A. Carbon dating.
Q16. What is speciation?
A. The formation of new species from existing ones.
Q17. What is homologous organ?
A. Organs with the same structure but different functions (e.g., forelimbs of humans and bats).
Q18. What is analogous organ?
A. Organs with different structures but similar functions (e.g., wings of birds and insects).
Q19. Give one example of artificial selection.
A. Breeding of dogs for desired traits.
Q20. What is mutation?
A. A sudden change in the DNA sequence.
Q21. What is genetic drift?
A. Random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population.
Q22. What is a pedigree chart?
A. A diagram showing the inheritance of traits in a family.
Q23. What is adaptive radiation?
A. The evolution of different species from a common ancestor in response to different environments.
Q24. What is molecular evidence of evolution?
A. Similarities in DNA and protein sequences among species.
Q25. Name a vestigial organ in humans.
A. Appendix.
Q26. What is Lamarck's theory of evolution?
A. The theory that organisms acquire traits during their lifetime and pass them to offspring.
Q27. What is Darwin's main idea in evolution?
A. Survival of the fittest through natural selection.
Q28. What is adaptive advantage?
A. A beneficial trait that increases an organism’s chances of survival and reproduction.
Q29. Give one example of evolution in action.
A. Development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
Q30. What is the chromosomal basis of sex determination in humans?
A. XX for female and XY for male.