Year 10 Semester Two Examination

Biology
Genetics, Natural Selection and Evolution

Revision Booklet (PW 1 & Ext)

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 Name: __________________________

Vocabulary questions:
1. Match the term with the correct definition.

Term Definition
1. Gregor Mendel A. Characteristic controlled by one gene
2. Gene B. Alternative forms of a gene
3. Genotype C. The physical appearance of the organism
4. Heterozygous D. Diagrammatic representation of the inheritance of a
trait
5. Recessive allele E. Organisms with two copies of the same allele
6. Allele F. The father of Genetics

7. Pedigree G. Both alleles are equally dominant

8. Dominant allele H. The genetic makeup of the individual

I. The allele is masked by the other allele II.
9. Autosomal
J. Individual has two different alleles for the gene
10. Monohybrid/
monogenic K. Section of the DNA molecule (often coding for a protein)

11. Phenotype L. Genes coding for non-sexual characteristics

M. Genes found on the X chromosome
12. Co-dominant
N. The allele which masks the expression of the other
13. Homozygous
allele
14. Sex-linked genes

2. Write the term for the following definition.

(a) A list showing the classification of all the species on Earth that have been found as fossils
_____________________________________

(b) The process in which an environmental factor acts on a population and results in some
organisms having more offspring that survive to reproduce than others
_____________________________________

(c) The number and range of species that exist on Earth or in an ecosystem
_________________________________________

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 (d) Procedures used to produce DNA that has been modified by inserting DNA into cell from a
different organism _______________________________________

3. Match the following:

i _______ Variation A. Change in the characteristics of a species over many

generations
ii _______ Mutagen B. Differences in characteristics due to different genes

iii _______ Mutation C. An agent that causes a mutation

iv _______ Evolution D. A permanent change in the DNA of an organism

4. Multiple choice questions:

i The process by which people chose to breed particular organisms with desirable features;
also known as selective breeding

(a) Natural Selection

(b) Recombinant DNA technology
(c) Artificial selection
(d) Speciation

ii A group of similar individuals that can interbreed in natural conditions to produce fertile
offspring

(a) Selective agent

(b) Species
(c) Speciation
(d) Fossil record

iii An environmental factor that acts on a population during natural selection

(a) Selective agent

(b) Variation
(c) Biodiversity
(d) Speciation

iv Evidence of, or remains of, an organism that lived long time ago

(a) Biodiversity
(b) Variation
(c) Evolution
(d) Fossil

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 Punnett Squares

1. (a) One cat has the long haired trait for fur length with a genotype of Ss, and its mate has short hair
- ss. Use a Punnett square to determine the probability of their offspring having long hair.

(b) One flower is heterozygous red (Rr) for petal colour and is crossed with a homozygous white
(rr) plant. Use a Punnett square to determine the probability of their offspring having red
coloured petals.

(c) In a certain species of plant, the petal colour purple (P) is dominant to the petal colour white
(p). According to the Punnett Square, what is the probability of an offspring being white?

(d) A plant species has two alleles for stem length: Long (L) and Short (S). The long (L) allele
exhibits incomplete dominance to the short allele. The heterozygote has intermediate length
stems. What is the probability that an offspring will be homozygous long stemmed if a plant
with short stems is crossed with a plant that has intermediate length stems?

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 (e) Duchenne muscular dystrophy is inherited as a sex-linked recessive allele. What is the
chance of a couple having a son with Duchenne muscular dystrophy if the male is normal and
the female is a carrier?

2. Pedigree Analysis

(a) What is a pedigree?

(b) Identify each of the following

components on the pedigree
below:

- An unaffected female

- A mating between individuals

- Cousins

- An affected male

- A generation no

(c) Referring to the pedigree above, is the characteristic dominant or recessive? How do you
know?

(d) Is the characteristic autosomal or sex-linked?

How do you know?

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 (e) Having established the mode of inheritance of this characteristic, calculate the possible
genotype/s of individual III 5 using the symbols D and d.

(f) What is the relationship between:

I 1 and III 6 ____________________________________

III 2 and III 9 ____________________________________
II 3 and II 6 _____________________________________
II 3 and II 7 _____________________________________

(g) Identify the genotype/s of the following individuals:

I 1 ___________________________________________
II 2___________________________________________
II 3 ______________________________________________
II 8 ______________________________________________

3. Sex determination

(a) Use a Punnett square to illustrate how sex is determined in humans.

(b) Using the Punnett square you have constructed, who determines the sex of the offspring?

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4. Karyotypes

(a) What is a karyotype and what can it show?

(b) Determine the sex of each karyotype shown below. Are there any chromosomal mutations
present? How do you know?

5. Mutations

(a) What is a mutation?

(b) List some agents that cause mutations in cells.

(c) Identify the type of mutation in each of the following chromosomes. Use the terms:
a. translocation, inversion, duplication, deletion

___________________

___________________

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 ____________________

____________________

6. Genetically modified organisms and the human genome

(a) What are genetically modified organisms?

(b) What can they be used for?

(c) Define the term “Human Genome”

(d) Why is it important for geneticists to know a species’ genome?

Some more practice questions

For each of the following pedigrees determine if the characteristic is: dominant or recessive AND
autosomal or sex-linked.

Construct Punnett squares for each of the following crosses and write the possible genotypes
and phenotypes for each cross.
1. A homozygous dominant brown mouse is crossed with a heterozygous brown mouse (tan is the
recessive colour).

2. Two heterozygous white (brown fur is recessive) rabbits are crossed.

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3. Two heterozygous red flowers (white flowers are recessive) are crossed.

4. A homozygous tall plant is crossed with a heterozygous tall plant (short is the recessive allele).

5. In pea plants, yellow seeds (Y) are dominant and green seeds (y) are recessive. A pea plant with
yellow seeds is crossed with a pea plant with green seeds. The resulting offspring have about
equal numbers of yellow and green seeded plants. What are the genotypes of the parents?

6. You found a wild, black mouse. Explain how you would determine the genotype of this mouse.
NB: white fur is recessive

7. In humans straight hair (SS) and curly hair (CC) are co-dominant traits, that result in hybrids who
have wavy hair (SC). Cross a curly hair female with a wavy haired male and list the possible
genotypes and phenotypes for this cross.

8. Haemophilia is a sex-linked, recessive trait. Use XN for normal and Xn for haemophilia. A woman
who is heterozygous (a carrier) for haemophilia marries a normal man.

a. What are the genotypes of the parents?

b. Make a Punnett square for the above cross.

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 c. What is the probability that a male offspring will have haemophilia? __________

a. What is the probability of having a haemophiliac female offspring? _________

Natural Selection & Evolution.

1. The diagram below shows a labelled pentadactyl limb of a human. Shade each labelled part then apply
the same shading the corresponding parts on the other mammals in the diagram.

2. How does a comparison of the above limbs support the theory of evolution?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe some of the variation that exists within the human species.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is a mutation? What are some causes of mutation?

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 ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

5. Are most mutations harmful, harmless or advantageous. Explain.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is meant by the term “Natural Selection”?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

7. What effect does natural selection have on the frequency of favourable and unfavourable genes over
many generations?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

8. Ultraviolet light (UV) is essential in low doses for humans to synthesise vitamin D. In the 1700’s, it was
found that there was a higher proportion of people with lighter skin close to the earth’s poles, and a
higher proportion of people with darker skin at the equator. Lighter skin is more able to absorb UV,
whereas darker skin tends to absorb less UV. Explain through the process of natural selection, how there
could be an increased number of people with lighter skin living closer to the North Pole (an area of
reduced ultraviolet light) than at the equator (an area of intense ultraviolet light).

______________________________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

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9 Complete the following :-

In all species there exists a wide ________________ in characteristics possessed by organisms. All species
produce ________________ individuals than will survive and reach reproductive maturity. This over
production of organisms produces more ________________ for available resources such as
________________ and water. Those organisms which are better ________________ have a greater
chance at survival ie survival of the ________________. Because they are better adapted these
individuals will ________________ on these favourable characteristics to their offspring. Over time the

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 ________________ of advantageous characteristics ________________, while the disadvantaged are
reduced or die out completely.

10. Thoroughly describe what isolation barriers to populations are. Be sure to include examples.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

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11. Next to the diagram below, name each stage during speciation and explain the process occurring.

12. How could you tell if a new species of organisms has been produced?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

13. What is biodiversity and why is it essential in all ecosystems?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

14. (a) What is meant by the term “artificial selection”?

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 ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

(b) Give two examples of artificial selection.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

15. (a) What is Evolution?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

(b) Use the following headings to explain the basic principles of Evolution

Variation

Birth
Rate

Nature’s
Balance

Struggle
for
Existence

16. During the 16thth centuries, Spanish settlers colonised South America. Disease was rare in South America
before the arrival of Europeans. However, many hundreds of thousands of South Americans died from
exposure to “European Diseases” that are usually not fatal after Europeans arrived. Use your knowledge
of natural selection to explain this.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

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 ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Sex linkage

Remember: you are expected to know the mode of inheritance for haemophilia and
red-green colour blindness.

1. (a) Define sex linkage:

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The pedigree below shows the inheritance of red-green colour-blindness in a family. It is inherited as a
recessive, sex-linked allele.

(b) Work out the genotypes for each individual A – E in the pedigree.

(c) Work out the probability that individuals III 1 and III 2 will produce a daughter with red-green
colour-blindness.

2. Red-green colour blindness is a sex-linked recessive allele. Calculate the possible genotypes
and phenotypes if a red-green colour blind male has a child with a normal vision female?

3. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is inherited as a sex-linked recessive allele. What is the chance
of a couple having a son with Duchenne muscular dystrophy if the male is normal and the female
is a carrier?

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 What is the chance that the same couple will have a daughter with Duchenne muscular
dystrophy?

4. A man suffering from haemophilia and a woman who is a carrier have a daughter. What is the
probability the daughter suffers from haemophilia?

5. A man and a woman, both suffer from red-green colour-blindness. Calculate the possible
genotypes and phenotypes of any children they might have.

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