1. Chapter 8, Section 1: Genetics

2. Inheriting Traits • An organism is a collection of traits, all inherited from its parents. • Genes on chromosomes control an organism’s form and function or traits. • Genes make DNA which makes Chromosomes.

3. What is genetics? • Genetics: the study of how traits are inherited through the interactions of alleles • Alleles: the different forms of a trait that make up a gene pair • When a pair of chromosomes separates through meiosis, alleles for each trait separate in different cells.

4. Mendel- the father of genetics • Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk, who noticed a connection between color of a pea plant flower, and the type of seed that was produced.

5. Dominant and Recessive Factors • During his years of study, Mendel found that certain traits occurred more frequently than others. • Mendel called the traits that occurred more frequently dominant. • He called the other traits recessive.

6. Punnett Squares • Punnett Square: a tool used to predict results in genetics • Letters are used to represent dominant and recessive alleles. • They show the genotype, or the genetic makeup, of an organism. • The way an organism looks is it’s phenotype, or physical appearance.

7. Alleles Determine Traits • Someof the cells in your body have two alleles for every trait. They are located on similar chromosomes in the nucleus. • An organism with the same alleles for a trait is said to be homozygous. • An organism with different alleles for a trait is said to be heterozygous.