Mr. Altorfer Science Heredity Section 1 Mendel and His Peas Pages 114 to 117

What you will learn: (our objectives) –E–Explain the relationship between traits and heredity. –D–Describe the experiments of Gregor Mendel. –E–Explain the difference between dominant and recessive traits.

Heredity- The passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring. –W–Why do you have brown eyes while both your parents have blue eyes? –W–Why are you the only left handed person in your family? – Heredity! That’s why!

Who Was Gregor Mendel? Gregor Mendel- –B–Born in 1822 –H–He became a monk (lived in a monastery) –H–He studied heredity by working with pea plants.

One of my heroes!A pea plant

Unraveling the Mystery Why did Mendel use pea plants? –P–Pea plants can self pollinate. –P–Peas can also pollinate other pea plants.

Characteristics vs. Traits Characteristics- A feature that has different forms in a population or a group. –E–Eye Color, Hair Color Traits- Different forms of a characteristic. –B–Blue Eyes or Brown Eyes, Red Hair or Brown Hair

What traits does this cat have? –Eye Color: –Hair Color:

Mendel’s Experiments Dominant Trait- The trait observed in the first generation when parents that have different traits are bred. Recessive Trait- A trait that reappears in the second generation after disappearing in the first generation when parents with different traits are bred.

Ratio’s and Mendel’s Experiments