AP Biology Flashcards: Mendelian Genetics
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
A scientist observes that two traits are not assorting independently. What might this suggest about the location of their genes?
This observation suggests the genes for these traits may be located on the same chromosome, and therefore do not follow Mendel's law of independent assortment.
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A scientist observes that two traits are not assorting independently. What might this suggest about the location of their genes?
This observation suggests the genes for these traits may be located on the same chromosome, and therefore do not follow Mendel's law of independent assortment.
What is Mendel's Law of Segregation?
This law describes how alleles for a single trait separate from each other during gamete formation, resulting in each gamete receiving only one allele for that trait.
What is the role of fertilization in promoting genetic variation?
Fertilization creates new combinations of alleles by fusing genetically distinct gametes, which increases the genetic variation within a population.
What is the relationship between gametes and the diploid chromosome number?
Gametes are haploid, containing half the number of chromosomes, and their fusion during fertilization restores the full diploid number.
What mathematical principles can be used to predict the outcomes of genetic crosses?
The rules of probability can be applied to analyze and predict Mendelian inheritance patterns.
Define fertilization in the context of Mendelian genetics.
Fertilization is the process where haploid gametes (sperm and egg) fuse to form a diploid zygote, combining alleles from two parents.
How does fertilization affect chromosome number?
Fertilization involves the fusion of haploid gametes, which restores the diploid chromosome number in the resulting offspring.
According to Mendel, how are genes and traits inherited?
Genes and their corresponding traits are inherited through the transmission of discrete units (alleles) from parents to offspring according to predictable patterns like segregation and independent assortment.
What is the chromosomal condition required for Mendel's laws to apply?
Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment apply to genes that are located on different chromosomes.
What is Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment?
This law states that alleles for different traits, located on different chromosomes, are inherited independently of one another during gamete formation.