What Genetics Is and Why It Matters
The Big Picture
Genetics in one sentence
Genetics is the study of how living things store, use, and pass on biological information that helps shape traits such as eye color, blood type, and susceptibility to certain diseases.
Why this subject matters
Genetics helps explain family resemblance, inherited diseases, evolution, agriculture, and many modern medical tests.
Traits and inheritance
A trait is any characteristic of an organism. Some traits are strongly influenced by genes, while others are also shaped by environment. For example, height is influenced by many genes and by nutrition, while blood type is mostly determined by genes.
Core vocabulary
What is genetics mainly about?
Genetics focuses on heredity and variation in living organisms.
Correct answer: How traits are inherited and vary
In your own words, what is a trait?
A trait is any observable or measurable feature, such as eye color, flower shape, or blood type.
Correct answer: A characteristic of an organism
How genetics connects to life
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Step 1: Living things carry instructions in DNA.
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Step 2: Those instructions help build and run cells.
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Step 3: Offspring inherit DNA from parents.
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Step 4: Differences in DNA create differences in traits.
Which statement best describes a genome?
The genome includes the full set of genetic information.
Correct answer: All of an organism's genetic material