Genetics Quizzes: Heredity, DNA, and Traits

Question 1

According to Mendel's Law of Segregation, during meiosis, which of the following occurs?

Accepted Answer

Pairs of alleles for a gene separate and each allele goes to a different gamete.

Answer

Pairs of alleles for a gene stay together and go to the same gamete.

Answer

Gametes receive a random assortment of alleles from both parents.

Answer

Alleles are duplicated and then distributed to daughter cells.

Question 2

What is the observable physical or biochemical characteristic of an individual called?

Accepted Answer

Phenotype

Answer

Dominant

Answer

Recessive

Answer

Incomplete dominant

Question 3

Which type of cell division results in the production of gametes (eggs and sperm) in humans?

Accepted Answer

Meiosis

Answer

Mitosis

Answer

Binary fission

Answer

Budding

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a trait that is carried on the X or Y chromosome?

Accepted Answer

Hemophilia

Answer

Eye color

Answer

Hair color

Answer

Height

Question 5

What is a primary benefit of genetic variation within a population?

Accepted Answer

Increased fitness and adaptation to the environment

Answer

Reduced risk of genetic disorders

Answer

Ensuring exact copies of organisms for reproduction

Answer

Eliminating harmful alleles from the population

Question 6

Which of the following terms describes the genetic makeup of an individual?

Accepted Answer

Genotype

Answer

Phenotype

Answer

Genome

Answer

Karyotype

Question 7

Which technology has been used to identify specific genes that cause genetic diseases?

Accepted Answer

DNA sequencing

Answer

Genome mapping

Answer

CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing

Answer

Genetic engineering

Question 8

Who discovered the basic laws of inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

James Watson

Answer

Francis Crick

Question 9

Which nitrogenous base is NOT a component of DNA?

Accepted Answer

Uracil

Answer

Adenine

Answer

Thymine

Answer

Guanine

Question 10

What process duplicates DNA before cell division?

Accepted Answer

Replication

Answer

Transcription

Answer

Translation

Answer

Mutation

Question 11

Which of the following is the smallest unit of heredity that carries genetic information?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

Cell

Answer

DNA

Question 12

Who is widely recognized as the 'Father of Genetics' for his groundbreaking work on pea plants?

Accepted Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

James Watson

Answer

Francis Crick

Question 13

What is the term for an individual who possesses two different versions, or alleles, of a particular gene?

Accepted Answer

Heterozygous

Answer

Homozygous

Answer

Dominant

Answer

Recessive

Question 14

What is the name of the structures located in the nucleus of cells that contain an organism's genetic material?

Accepted Answer

Chromosomes

Answer

Mitochondria

Answer

Ribosomes

Answer

Chloroplasts

Question 15

In DNA, which base pair is complementary to adenine (A)?

Accepted Answer

Thymine (T)

Answer

Cytosine (C)

Answer

Guanine (G)

Answer

Uracil (U)

Question 16

What is the primary function of RNA in cells?

Accepted Answer

Transporting genetic information from DNA to ribosomes

Answer

Storing genetic information

Answer

Producing proteins

Answer

Regulating cell division

Question 17

What is the biological process by which DNA makes an identical copy of itself?

Accepted Answer

Replication

Answer

Transcription

Answer

Translation

Answer

Mutation

Question 18

What is the term for the situation when a recessive allele is expressed because there are no dominant alleles present?

Accepted Answer

Homozygous recessive

Answer

Homozygous dominant

Answer

Heterozygous

Answer

Incomplete dominance

Question 19

What is known as the basic unit of heredity that determines traits?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

DNA

Answer

RNA

Question 20

Who is credited as the 'Father of Genetics' for his pioneering work on inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

James Watson

Answer

Rosalind Franklin

Question 21

What term describes the different versions of a gene that can determine variations in traits?

Accepted Answer

Alleles

Answer

Genotypes

Answer

Phenotypes

Answer

Dominant traits

Question 22

When both alleles of a gene are dominant, which type of trait is expressed?

Accepted Answer

Homozygous dominant

Answer

Homozygous recessive

Answer

Heterozygous

Answer

Incomplete dominant

Question 23

If two pea plants with heterozygous purple flowers are crossed, what is the probability of their offspring having white flowers?

Accepted Answer

25%

Answer

0%

Answer

50%

Answer

75%

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT one of the four nitrogenous bases found in DNA?

Accepted Answer

Uracil

Answer

Adenine

Answer

Thymine

Answer

Cytosine

Question 25

What is the name of the process where DNA creates an identical copy of itself?

Accepted Answer

Replication

Answer

Transcription

Answer

Translation

Answer

Mutation

Question 26

Which genotype consists of two identical alleles for a particular gene?

Accepted Answer

Homozygous

Answer

Heterozygous

Answer

Dominant

Answer

Recessive

Question 27

Which field of biology focuses on the scientific study of heredity and variations in organisms?

Accepted Answer

Genetics

Answer

Cytology

Answer

Evolution

Answer

Taxonomy

Question 28

What is the fundamental building block of heredity?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

Cell

Answer

Nucleus

Question 29

Who is credited with establishing the principles of genetics?

Accepted Answer

Gregor Mendel

Answer

Charles Darwin

Answer

Louis Pasteur

Answer

James Watson

Question 30

Which genotype indicates an individual with both dominant and recessive alleles for a trait?

Accepted Answer

Aa

Answer

AA

Answer

aa

Answer

aA

Question 31

What term describes the observable characteristics of an individual?

Accepted Answer

Phenotype

Answer

Genotype

Answer

Allele

Answer

Locus

Question 32

What process creates an identical copy of DNA before cell division?

Accepted Answer

Replication

Answer

Transcription

Answer

Translation

Answer

Mutation

Question 33

What principle describes the independent distribution of alleles during gamete formation?

Accepted Answer

Independent assortment

Answer

Segregation

Answer

Dominance

Answer

Recessiveness

Question 34

What ethical concern arises from the use of genetic testing related to the possibility of unfair treatment?

Accepted Answer

Genetic discrimination

Answer

Cost of testing

Answer

Accuracy of results

Answer

Insufficient genetic counselors

Question 35

What is the fundamental unit of heredity?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

Nucleotide

Answer

Allele

Question 36

What are the different forms of a gene called?

Accepted Answer

Alleles

Answer

Genotypes

Answer

Phenotypes

Answer

Traits

Question 37

Using genetic information to predict disease risk raises ethical concerns. Explain the ethical concern of potential discrimination or misuse of genetic information and suggest a way to address it.

Accepted Answer

Potential discrimination or misuse of genetic information.

Answer

Genetic information should only be accessible to medical professionals.

Question 38

Which genetic disorder is characterized by the presence of an additional copy of chromosome 21?

Accepted Answer

Down syndrome

Answer

Sickle cell anemia

Answer

Cystic fibrosis

Question 39

Genetic testing is a valuable tool used in medical settings. How is it utilized to diagnose and predict the development of genetic disorders?

Accepted Answer

Confirming the presence of specific genetic mutations associated with known disorders

Accepted Answer

Predicting the likelihood of developing a genetic disorder based on family history and genetic markers

Accepted Answer

Screening newborns for treatable genetic disorders

Answer

Determining the exact severity of a genetic disorder

Question 40

How can genetic engineering be used to benefit people?

Accepted Answer

Treating diseases by fixing or swapping genes

Accepted Answer

Helping crops grow better by making them strong against bugs

Answer

Making brand new types of animals and plants

Answer

Making genetic problems disappear completely

Question 41

What is the fundamental unit of heredity that is passed from parents to offspring?

Accepted Answer

Gene

Answer

Chromosome

Answer

Cell

Answer

Organelle

Question 42

Gregor Mendel's significant work with pea plants contributed to the discovery of the laws of:

Accepted Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Natural Selection

Answer

Evolution

Answer

Cell Division

Question 43

In a heterozygous genotype, what does each cell contain?

Accepted Answer

Two different alleles of a gene

Answer

Only recessive alleles

Answer

One dominant and one recessive allele

Answer

Two identical alleles of a gene

Question 44

What term describes the observable characteristics of an organism?

Accepted Answer

Phenotype

Answer

Genotype

Answer

Homozygous

Answer

Recessive

Question 45

Which type of cell division results in daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the original cell?

Accepted Answer

Meiosis

Answer

Binary Fission

Answer

Mitosis

Answer

Budding

Question 46

What is the term for the specific location of a gene on a chromosome?

Accepted Answer

Locus

Answer

Allele

Answer

Gene Pool

Question 47

Which of the following carries the genetic code in the form of a sequence of nitrogenous bases?

Accepted Answer

DNA

Answer

Protein

Answer

RNA

Answer

Lipid

Question 48

What is the shape of a DNA molecule?

Accepted Answer

Double helix

Answer

Circular

Answer

Linear

Answer

Single helix

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT a type of genetic mutation?

Accepted Answer

Silent Mutation

Answer

Deletion

Answer

Insertion

Answer

Substitution

Question 50

What was the primary goal of the Human Genome Project?

Accepted Answer

To map the DNA sequences of the human genome

Answer

To create genetically modified organisms

Answer

To predict future pandemics

Answer

To develop new medical treatments