Page 1: Introduction to Inheritance

This page introduces fundamental concepts in genetics and inheritance. It covers key terms and principles essential for understanding how traits are passed from parents to offspring.

Definition: Inheritance is the transfer of characteristic traits from parents to offspring through genes.

Vocabulary:

• Gene: DNA segment that determines specific traits
• Allele: Different versions of the same gene
• Phenotype: Observable physical characteristics
• Genotype: Genetic makeup of an organism

The page explains the difference between dominant and recessive alleles, as well as homozygous and heterozygous gene pairs.

Example: For hair color, "A" might represent a dominant allele for black hair, while "a" represents a recessive allele for blonde hair.

Highlight: Dominant alleles (e.g. "A") show their effect in both homozygous (AA) and heterozygous (Aa) conditions, while recessive alleles (e.g. "a") only show their effect in the homozygous condition (aa).

The concept of gamete formation in heterozygous individuals is introduced, with the formula 2^n for calculating the number of possible gamete types, where n is the number of heterozygous traits.