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Introduction to Mendel's Experiments quiz Flashcards

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Introduction to Mendel's Experiments quiz
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  • Why did Gregor Mendel choose pea plants for his genetic experiments?
    Mendel chose pea plants because they are easy to cultivate, grow quickly, produce multiple offspring, have many inheritable traits, and are easy to control for fertilization.
  • What is the significance of pea plants' ability to self-fertilize in Mendel's experiments?
    Self-fertilization allowed Mendel to use the same pea plant to create multiple generations, ensuring consistency in his genetic studies.
  • Define the term 'allele' in the context of Mendel's experiments.
    An allele is a different version of a specific gene, which can be either dominant or recessive.
  • How is a dominant allele represented in genetic notation?
    A dominant allele is represented by a capital letter.
  • What happens to the effect of a recessive allele when a dominant allele is present?
    The effect of a recessive allele is masked or hidden when a dominant allele is present.
  • What did Mendel discover about the allele for yellow peas compared to green peas?
    Mendel discovered that the allele for yellow peas is dominant over the allele for green peas.
  • What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?
    Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype refers to the observable traits.
  • Explain the concept of 'complete dominance' using Mendel's pea plants.
    Complete dominance occurs when the dominant allele completely masks the effect of the recessive allele, as seen with yellow and green pea colors.
  • What is the role of a capital letter in representing alleles?
    A capital letter represents a dominant allele in genetic notation.
  • Why is it important to distinguish between dominant and recessive alleles?
    Distinguishing between dominant and recessive alleles helps predict the inheritance patterns and phenotypes of offspring.
  • What does the term 'inheritance' refer to in genetics?
    Inheritance refers to the passing of genetic traits from parents to offspring.
  • How did Mendel control fertilization in his pea plant experiments?
    Mendel controlled fertilization by manually cross-pollinating pea plants to ensure specific genetic crosses.
  • What is the significance of multiple offspring in Mendel's experiments?
    Multiple offspring allowed Mendel to observe and analyze the inheritance patterns across many individuals.
  • What does the term 'trait' mean in the context of Mendel's studies?
    A trait is a specific characteristic that can be inherited, such as pea color or plant height.
  • How did Mendel's choice of pea plants contribute to the success of his genetic experiments?
    Pea plants' ease of cultivation, quick growth, multiple offspring, many inheritable traits, and controllable fertilization made them ideal for Mendel's genetic studies.