Chapter : Heredity

Practice Material

1. A Mendelian experiment consisted of breeding pea plants bearing violet flowers with pea plants
bearing white flowers. What will be the result in Fj progeny?
Ans :All will bear violet flowers.

2. What indication do we get by reappearance of dwarf plant in F2 generation?

Ans :After obtaining progeny in F2 generation in a dihybrid cross, Mendel concluded that when
two pairs of traits are combined in a hybrid, one pair of character segregates independently of
the other pair of character.

3. How many pairs of chromosomes are present in human beings?

Ans :23 pairs.

4. Why is the progeny always tall when a tall pea plantis crossed with a short pea plant?
Ans :The trait which represents the tallness in a pea plant is dominant over the
another trait, shortness (dwarf).

5. All the variations in a species do not have equalchances of survival. Why?

Ans :Some variations are caused by environmental changesand they do not bring out
any change in DNA. Therefore, all the variations do not have equal chances of survival.
6. Why is it that asexual reproduction produces exact copies but sometimes minor variations
are also seen in next progeny?
Ans :Since no biochemical reaction is reliable, therefore, in copying of DNA, it may cause
slight difference which causes these variations.

7. A normal baby girl receives her X chromosome from whom : mother, father, both mother and
father or either from mother or father?
Ans :

From both mother and father.

8. What is a gene?
Ans :It is a functional piece of DNA that is responsible forexpression of a trait in the
organisms.

9. Mendel observed a contrasting trait in relation toposition of flowers. Mention the trait.
Ans :Axial flower position (dominant), terminal flowerposition (recessive).

10. Give an example where sex determination is regulated by environmental factors.

Ans :In snail, sex is determined by environmental factors(temperature).

11. What is the effect of DNA copying which is not perfectly accurate on the reproduction process?
Ans :It will result in less variations which may further lead to less adaptation to
changing environment, thus,giving less chances of survival.

12. “The chromosome number of the sexually producing parents and their offspring is the same”.
Justify this statement.
 Ans :In sexual reproduction, both the gametes (male andfemale) contain half the
number of chromosomes(haploid or n) and by the fusion of these gametes, the
zygote have full set (diploid 2n) chromosomes.

13. (a) On what rules inheritance is based?

(b) Is each trait influenced by both paternal and maternal DNA?
Ans :

a. The rules of inheritance is based on the fact that the traits in the progeny are carried out by
DNA’sof both the parents (mother and father). These rules are known s ‘Mendel’s Laws of
Inheritance’. The rules are:
(i) Law of dominance,
(ii) Law of segregation, and
(iii) Law of independent assortment.
b. Yes, it is true that each trait is influenced by both paternal and maternal DNA.

14. a. What is the genetic constitution of human sperm?

b. Mention the chromosomes pair present in zygotedetermining the sex of a male child.
Ans :

a. 22 + Y or 22 + X
b. (22 + Y + 22 + X)

15. If YYRR is round yellow, what do the following represent?

yyrr yyRR
Ans : yyrr - Wrinkled, green seeds yyRR — Round, green seeds

16. How did Mendel explain that it is possible that a trait is inherited but not expressed in an
organism?
Ans :

Yes, it is possible.
Example - When pure tall pea plants are crossed with pure dwarf pea plants, only tall pea
plants are obtained in F1 generation.
On selfing tall plants of F1 both tall and dwarf plants are obtained in F2 generation in the
ratio 3:1.
Reappearance of the dwarf character, a recessive trait in F2 generation shows that the
dwarf trait/ character was present in individuals of F 1 but it didnot express (due to the present
of tallness, a dominant trait / character)

17. Where are the genes located? What is the chemical nature of gene?
Ans : Genes are located on chromosomes in linear sequence and at fixed positions.
Chemically, genes are acidic in nature since they are nucleic acids which constituteDNA.

18. State the meaning of inherited traits and acquired traits. Which of the two is not passed on to
the next generation? Explain with the help of an example.
Ans :

Acquired Trait Inherited Trait

1 Experiences of an Genetically inherited
individual during its
lifetime.
2. It cannot be passed on They can be passed on
from one generation to from one generation to
the next. the next.
 3. Example: power to lift Example: Eye colour
weights and reading or height
French

19. What are sex chromosomes? Which sex chromosomes are found in male and female human beings?
State the chromosome responsible for the development of male child in human beings?
Ans :Sex chromosomes are set of chromosomes present in human beings which help
in sex determination.
XX and XY.
Y chromosome.

20. “Experience of an individual during its lifetime cannot be passed on its progeny and cannot direct
evolution”.Justify this statement giving an example.
Ans : Since acquired characters are not inherited over generations. Change in non-
reproductive tissuescannot be passed on to the DNA of the germ cells.

21. A tall pea plant was crossed with a dwarf one. F 1 generation was allowed to self pollinate and
F2 generation was also obtained. Answer the following questions:
a. What would be the phenotype of plants in F1generation?
b. What would be the phenotypic ratio in F2generation?
c. Give reason for your observation in F1 generation.
Ans :

a. all tall
b. 3:1
c. Reason: The tall trait of pea plant is dominanttrait over short trait, a recessive trait.

22. A violet pea plant [VV] was crossed with a white one[vv]. F1 generation was allowed to self
pollinate and F2 generation was also obtained,
Answer the following questions:
a. What would be the phenotype of plants in F1generation?

b. What would be the percentage of plants with white flowers in F2 generation?

c. What would be the ratio of vv: Vv in F2generation.
Ans :

a. all violet flowers

b. 25%
c. 1 : 2.

23. Explain how gene expresses itself in a cell? Why are we somewhat similar to our parents yet
not identical to them?
Ans :Genes are functional segments of DNA. They are units of heredity that gets passed
on through reproduction from parents to progeny. It is the blue print of life. DNA
expresses itself through synthesis of proteins. Proteins make structures in our body
and also controlsthe functioning. In other words cells, tissues, organs and hence a
living body expresses the traits inherited as genes/ DNA. Since we inherit the DNA,
half fromone and half from other parents, hence we somewhat resemble them. At the
same time we show mixed traits of both so can not be identical to either of them.

24. “It is a matter of chance whether a couple will havea male or a female child.” Justify this
statement by drawing a flow chart.
 Ans :Women produce only one type of ovum (carryingX chromosome) and males
produce two types of sperms (carrying either X or Y chromosome) in equal proportions.
So the sex of a child is a matter of chance depending upon the type of sperm fertilizing
the ovum.

25. How do Mendel’s experiments show that the

a. traits may be dominant or recessive,
b. traits are inherited independently?
Ans :

When Mendel cross pollinated pure tall pea plants with pure dwarf pea plants, only tall
plants were obtained in F1 generation. On self pollinating the F1 progeny, both tall and
dwarf plants appeared in F2 generation in the ratio 3 : 1.
Appearance of tall character in both the F 1 and F2 shows that it is a dominant
character.The absence of dwarf character in F1 generation and its reappearance in F2 shows
dwarfness is therecessive character.
a. When Mendel conducted a dihybrid cross having two sets of characters, he obtained only one
set of parental characters in F1 generation whereas in F2
generation he obtained both the set of parental
characters now recombined in the ratio of 9 : 3 :3 : 1.
The appearance of new recombinants in the F2 generation along with parental type
shows thattraits are inherited independently.

26. Explain Mendel’s concept of heredity, by giving threepoints.

Ans :

a. Mendel worked on pea plant {Pisum sativum) and discovered the fundamental laws of
inheritance. Hefound that traits (characteristics) are controlled by factors (which are now
called genes) and each factor (gene) come in pairs. These factors (genes)are inherited as
distinct units, one from eachparent.

b. Mendel studied that genes segregate during the formation of gametes (sperms in males
and ova infemales) and they again combine in the offspring (one from each parent) and
appear as dominant orrecessive trait. This can be worked out by makinga test cross.
c. Mendel proposed three laws, namely:
(i) Law of segregation: Each inherited trait is defined by a pair of gene. Parental genes are
randomly separated to the germ-cells so that germ contain only one pair of gene.
(ii) Law of independent assortment: Genes of different traits are sorted separately from
oneanother so that the inheritance of one trait is not dependent on the inheritance of
another.
(iii) Law of dominance: An organism with alternate forms of a gene will express the form that
is document.
 27. What is DNA copying? State its importance.
Ans : A process where a DNA molecule produces two similar copies of itself in a
reproducing cell.
Importance -
a. It makes possible the transmission of charactersfrom parents to the next generation.

b. It causes variation in the population.

28. “We cannot pass on to our progeny the experiences and qualifications earned during our
lifetime”. Justifythe statement giving reason and examples.
Ans :Acquiring knowledge / skill in one’s lifetime such as learning dance, music,
physical fitness or any other suitable example.
Reason:
a. Such characters / experiences acquired duringone’s lifetime do not bring any change in the
DNA of the reproducing cell/germ cell.
b. Only germ cells are responsible for passing on the characters from the parents to the progeny.

31. a. “Chromosomes are heredity carriers.” Why do we say so?

b. Which vital function is not controlled by autosomes?
Ans :

a. Chromosomes are made-up of DNA. Genes arelocated on the chromosomes. It is the DNA
copy which transfers from both the parents to their offspring. Therefore, chromosomes made-
up of DNA and containing genes are said to be the heredity carriers.

b. Sex of the child is not controlled by autosomes

32. Which of the following is a Test Cross?
a. (a) TT # tt (b) Tt # tt
(c) Tt # TT (d) tt # tt
Ans : (b) Tt # tt

33. A heterozygous red-eyed female Drosophila mated with a white-eyed male would produce
a. red-eyed females and white-eyed males in the F1
b. white-eyed females and red-eyed males in the F1
c. half red and half white-eyed females and all white eyed males in the F1
d. half red and half white-eyed females as well asmales in the F1
Ans : (d) half red and half white-eyed females as well as males in the F1
34. What determines the sexs of a child?
a. Chromosome content of the ovum
b. Chromosome content of the sperm
c. Number of days between ovulation and fertilisation
d. Number of days between fertilisation and implantation
Ans : (b) Chromosome content of the sperm

35. When a breed of cattle with red coats is crossed with the same breed with white coats, all the
offspring have coats with a mixture of red and white hairs, a condition called roan.
If roan cows were crossed with a red-coated bull, thetheoretical ratio of the offspring would be
a. all red (b) all roan
(c) 1 red : 1 roan (d) 3 red : 1 roan
Ans : (c) 1 red : 1 roan

She following cross shows how this ratio 1 : 1 isobtained.

36. A recessive homozygote is crossed with a heterozygote of the same gene. What will be the
phenotype of the F1-generation?
a. All dominant
b. 75% dominant, 25% recessive
c. 50% dominant, 50% recessive
d. 25% dominant, 50% heterozygous, 25% recessive
Ans : (c) 50% dominant, 50% recessive
Suppose aa is recessive homozygote and Aa isheterozygote. Rusult of the cross are shown below.

37. Assertion : Dominant allele is an allele whose phenotype expresses even in the presence of another
allele of that gene.
Reason : It is represented by a capital letter, e.g. T.
Ans : (b) Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true but reason (R) is not the
correct explanation