Review study guide for Test
8.5 Genetics
5 Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is a genotype?
a) What you look like
b) Your physical traits
c) Your genetic makeup (like Bb or TT)
d) Your favorite food
2. Which pair shows a heterozygous genotype?
a) TT
b) tt
c) Tt
d) Both a and b
3. A dominant allele will:
a) Only show if there's another dominant
b) Always hide the recessive
c) Never show
d) Only be found in plants
4. Gregor Mendel is known as:
a) The king of science
b) The father of computers
c) The father of genetics
d) A famous astronaut
5. A Punnett square helps you:
a) Mix chemicals
b) Find the genetic probabilities of traits
c) Make smoothies
d) See cells under a microscope
5 True or False Questions
1. __T_ DNA is found in the nucleus of a cell.
2. _F__ A dominant trait only shows if two dominant alleles are present.
3. T___ You get half your DNA from each parent.
4. _T__ A Punnett square shows possible gene combinations.
5. _T__ A phenotype is the way something looks.
3 Fill in the Blank
1. The gene versions you inherit from your parents are called allele _________.
2. A Recessive trait is hidden when a dominant allele is present.
3. The physical expression of your genes is called your phenotype
2 Short Answer Questions
1. Why is it important that organisms have two copies of each gene?
Because having two copies allows for genetic variation and can protect organisms if one copy has a mutation.
2. What would happen if only dominant traits were passed on every time?
There would be no variation in traits, which could hurt survival if environments change.
2 Punnett Square Questions
1. Cross a heterozygous tall plant (Tt) with a short plant (tt).
* Show the Punnett square.
* What are the possible genotypes and phenotypes?
T
t
t
Tt
tt
t
Tt
tt
Genotypes: 2 Tt, 2 tt
Phenotypes: 50% Tall (Tt), 50% Short (tt)
2. Cross two heterozygous brown-eyed parents (Bb).
* Show the Punnett square.
* What percent of the offspring are expected to have blue eyes?
B
b
B
BB
Bb
b
Bb
bb
Genotypes: 1 BB, 2 Bb, 1 bb
Phenotypes: 75% Brown Eyes (BB or Bb), 25% Blue Eyes (bb)
1 Long Essay Question
In your own words, explain how traits are passed from parents to offspring. Include words like genes, alleles, dominant, recessive, genotype, and phenotype. Use a real-life example, like eye color or dimples.
Traits are passed from parents to offspring through genes. Each parent gives one allele for every trait. These alleles form the offspring's genotype. If the genotype includes a dominant allele, that trait will show. The phenotype is how the organism looks. For example, if one parent gives a dominant brown eye allele (B) and the other gives a recessive blue eye allele (b), the child will likely have brown eyes. This process explains why we look like our parents, but not exactly the same.
8.6 Natural Selection
5 Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is natural selection?
a) Picking what you want to eat
b) The process where the best traits help organisms survive
c) Choosing animals at the zoo
d) A kind of science game
2. A helpful trait that helps an organism survive is called:
a) A fashion
b) An adaptation
c) A diet
d) A mutation
3. Which is an example of an adaptation?
a) Wearing a jacket
b) A polar bear’s thick fur
c) Reading a book
d) Riding a bike
4. What did Darwin observe in the Galápagos Islands?
a) Airplanes
b) Identical animals
c) Different beaks on finches
d) Talking parrots
5. Natural selection takes place over:
a) One day
b) Millions of years
c) A minute
d) A week
5 True or False Questions
1. F___ Natural selection is random and has no pattern.
2. _T__ Organisms with helpful traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
3. _T__ Adaptations can be physical or behavioral.
4. __T_ Evolution happens because of small changes over time.
5. _F__ All organisms change to adapt instantly.
3 Fill in the Blank
1. Animals that are better adapted to their environment survive longer.
2. Evolution is the change in a species over time.
3. A giraffe’s long neck is an example of an adaptation.
2 Short Answer Questions
1. How does natural selection help a species survive in changing environments?
Organisms with traits that help them survive are more likely to live and have babies, passing on those good traits.
2. Why don’t all animals have the same adaptations?
Because they live in different environments and need different traits to survive.
1 Medium Answer – Adaptation Question
Think about the alien project we did. Describe how an alien on Planet X or Y would need to be adapted to survive. What would it need to live in its environment? Think about body parts, behaviors, or special features.
On Planet X, the temperature is extremely hot, and there’s no water. An alien here might have tough, heat-reflective skin and store water in its body like a camel. It may also be nocturnal to avoid heat during the day. These adaptations would help it survive and reproduce in that harsh environment.
1 Long Essay Question
Explain how natural selection works, using an example like Darwin’s finches or peppered moths. Make sure to include how variation, competition, survival, and reproduction all play a role in evolution.
Natural selection is how species change over time. First, there is variation—organisms are all a little different. Then, they compete for food, water, and mates. Some of them have traits that help them survive better. These organisms live longer and reproduce more, passing those helpful traits to their babies. Over many generations, the species changes. A good example is Darwin’s finches. Birds with strong beaks survived on islands with hard seeds. Over time, the population had mostly strong-beaked birds. This is how natural selection leads to evolution.