Heredity

Heredity is the passing on of characteristics from parents to offspring through their genes. Genes are the basic units of heredity and are made up of DNA. They determine traits such as eye color, hair texture, and height.

Study Guide

1. What is heredity?

Heredity is the passing on of characteristics from parents to offspring through their genes.

2. What are genes?

Genes are the basic units of heredity and are made up of DNA. They determine traits such as eye color, hair texture, and height.

3. How are traits passed from parents to offspring?

Traits are passed from parents to offspring through the inheritance of genes. Offspring inherit one set of genes from each parent, which determines their traits.

4. What is the role of DNA in heredity?

DNA carries the genetic information that determines an organism's traits. It is passed from parents to offspring and is responsible for the inheritance of characteristics.

Understanding heredity is important in fields such as genetics and evolution. By studying how traits are passed down from generation to generation, scientists can gain insights into the diversity of life on Earth.

Now that you understand the basics of heredity, you can explore further by learning about dominant and recessive traits, genetic inheritance patterns, and the role of mutations in genetic variation.