Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

com

Questions Q2.

Q1. Gregor Mendel investigated the genetics of peas.

Gregor Mendel used pea plants in plant breeding experiments. He discovered the basis of He did not know about genes but showed that inherited characteristics can be dominant or
genetic inheritance. recessive.

Pea plants produce different coloured peas. Explain how Mendel used homozygous tall and homozygous short pea plants to show that
the tall allele is dominant to the short allele.
The allele for yellow-coloured peas (A) is dominant to the allele for green-coloured peas (a). (2)
Two heterozygous parent plants were used in a genetic cross. .............................................................................................................................................

(i) Predict, using the Punnett square, the percentage probability that this cross will have .............................................................................................................................................
offspring that produce
green-coloured peas. .............................................................................................................................................
(3) .............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 2 marks)

percentage probability of green-coloured peas =...........................................................%

(ii) Explain one advantage to pea plants of using sexual reproduction to produce offspring.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 5 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q3. Q4.

Mendel's research on pea plants showed that genetic traits are inherited. (i) Draw a Punnett square to show the offspring from a male homozygous dominant for
Huntington's disease and a female homozygous recessive for Huntington's disease.
(i) Which term is used to describe the expression of traits in an organism?
(2)
(1)
A genotype
B phenotype
C allele
D gamete

(ii) Mendel crossed pea plants that produced round seeds with pea plants that produced
wrinkled seeds.
All the offspring produced round seeds.
He then crossed these offspring with each other.
Some pea plants in the next generation produced round seeds and the others produced
wrinkled seeds.
Explain how this showed that some inherited traits are not expressed in an organism.
(3)
............................................................................................................................................. (ii) State the probability that the offspring shown in the Punnett square will have
Huntington's disease.
.............................................................................................................................................
(1)
............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. (Total for question = 3 marks)

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 4 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q5.

Q6.
Transcription and translation are stages in the synthesis of proteins.

The inheritance of different alleles affects the phenotype of an individual. Explain how two parents with a dominant phenotype can produce offspring expressing a
recessive characteristic.
A child is blood group O.
(2)
The child's mother is blood group A and the child's father is blood group B. .............................................................................................................................................

Explain how this child is blood group O. .............................................................................................................................................

Use the Punnett square and probability in your answer. .............................................................................................................................................

(6)
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 2 marks)

Q7.

Explain why sperm determine the sex of offspring at fertilisation.

.............................................................................................................................................
(2)
............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. (Total for question = 2 marks)

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 6 marks)
Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q8. Q9.

The allele for blood group A and the allele for blood group B are codominant.
Haemochromatosis is a disease that occurs when iron accumulates in the liver.
Gregor Mendel investigated the inheritance of alleles using flowering plants.
A person with haemochromatosis is treated by having 0.5 dm3 of their blood removed each
He showed that the allele for red flowers (IR) is codominant with the allele for white flowers
week.
(IW).
This lowers the level of iron in their blood. A heterozygous plant produces pink flowers.

(i) Give two safety precautions needed when blood is removed from this person. (i) Give the genotype for a plant producing white flowers.
(2) (1)
1 .......................................................................................................................................... .............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. (ii) Explain the outcome if two plants that produce pink flowers are crossed.

2 .......................................................................................................................................... You should complete the Punnett square as part of your answer.
(4)
.............................................................................................................................................

(ii) Haemochromatosis can be inherited.

Haemochromatosis occurs when a person inherits two copies of a recessive allele.
Figure 9 shows the inheritance of haemochromatosis in a family.

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
State and explain the genotype of female Z.
(3) .............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 5 marks)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 5 marks)
Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q11.
Q10.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive sex-linked genetic disorder. This disorder
causes muscle weakness.
Haemochromatosis is a disease that occurs when iron accumulates in the liver.
Figure 14 shows the inheritance of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a family.
A person with haemochromatosis is treated by having 0.5 dm3 of their blood removed each
week.

This lowers the level of iron in their blood.

(i) Give two safety precautions needed when blood is removed from this person.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

2 .......................................................................................................................................... Figure 14

............................................................................................................................................. State and explain the phenotype of person Z.

(3)
(ii) Haemochromatosis can be inherited.
.............................................................................................................................................
Haemochromatosis occurs when a person inherits two copies of a recessive allele.
Figure 6 shows the inheritance of haemochromatosis in a family. .............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
State and explain the genotype of female Z.
(3)
............................................................................................................................................. (Total for question = 3 marks)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 5 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q12. Q13.

Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a sex-linked recessive genetic disorder caused by a
Huntington's disease is caused by a dominant allele (H).
mutation on a single gene on the X-chromosome.
Figure 6 shows the inheritance of Huntington's disease in a family.
The letter D can be used for the dominant allele and the letter d for the recessive allele.

Figure 5 shows the inheritance of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a family.

Figure 5

(i) What is the percentage chance of any child from person A inheriting the mutated allele?
(1)
Figure 6
A 0%
(i) State the genotype of the male in the 1st generation.
B 25%
(1)
............................................................................................................................................. C 50%

(ii) It is possible for a female with Huntington's disease to have one of two genotypes. D 75%

State the two genotypes possible for a female with Huntington's disease.
(2) (ii) Explain the conclusion that can be made about the genotype of person C.
............................................................................................................................................. (2)

............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................

(iii) Explain which Huntington's disease genotype the female in the 1st generation must be. .............................................................................................................................................

(3) .............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. (Total for question = 3 marks)

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 6 marks)
Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q14. Q15.

The DNA of an organism determines its phenotype. Sickle cell disease is a recessive genetic disorder in humans.

White tigers are produced because of a mutation of a single allele which usually produces (i) Two parents are heterozygous for sickle cell disease.
the normal orange and yellow fur pigmentation.
Complete the Punnett square to show the possible genotypes of their children.
(1)
The mutated allele is recessive.

Samba, a male white tiger, was bred with Rani. They had three offspring; two offspring have
white fur and one has a normal fur pigmentation.

(i) State the genotype of Rani.

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) State the percentage probability that their children could have sickle cell disease.
............................................................................................................................................. (1)
percentage probability = ........................................................... %
(ii) The offspring with normal fur pigmentation was bred with a tiger that was heterozygous.
Use A/a to represent the alleles for fur pigmentation. (iii) A father with the genotype dd and a mother with the genotype DD plan to have several
Predict, using the Punnett square, the percentage probability of the offspring from this children.
cross having normal fur pigmentation.
Explain why none of their children will have sickle cell disease.
(2)
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
percentage probability = ........................................................... %
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(Total for question = 4 marks)
Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q16. (i) Complete the tally chart, in Figure 2, for this data.
(2)
Eye colour is controlled by genes.

The allele for brown eyes, B, is dominant to the allele for blue eyes, b.

(a) A female with blue eyes and a male with brown eyes are about to have a child.
Complete the Punnett square to determine the phenotype of the child.
(2)

Figure 2

(ii) Give another appropriate method of displaying this information.

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

Phenotype of child
...................................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 5 marks)
(b) A scientist recorded the eye colour of 30 people.
The results are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q17.

Figure 1 shows a pea plant with flowers.

Q18.

Sickle cell anaemia is a recessive genetic condition that affects the shape of a person's red
blood cells.

A child inherits either a dominant or a recessive allele from each parent.

A child must inherit two recessive alleles to be affected by the condition.

(i) Figure 2 shows a Punnett square with the parental genotypes completed.
The letter B has been used for the dominant allele and the letter b for the recessive
allele.
Complete the Punnett square to show the genotypes of the offspring.
(1)

The seeds produced by this pea plant can be round or wrinkled.

The allele for round seeds (R) is dominant to the allele for wrinkled seeds (r).

(i) A homozygous dominant round seeded plant was crossed with a homozygous recessive
wrinkled seeded plant.
Complete the Punnett square to show the genotypes of the offspring.
(1)

Figure 2

(ii) Calculate the percentage chance of a child being born with sickle cell anaemia.
(1)
............................................................................................................................................. %

(iii) Give the reason why the parents' genotype is described as heterozygous.
(1)
(ii) State the percentage of the offspring that will produce round seeds. .............................................................................................................................................
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
percentage = ........................................................... %

(iii) Which scientist discovered the basis of genetic inheritance by crossing pea plants?
(Total for question = 3 marks)
(1)
A Charles Darwin

B Alfred Wallace

C Louis Leakey

D Gregor Mendel

(Total for question = 3 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q19. Q20.

Gregor Mendel investigated the genetics of peas.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that can also cause liver disease.
He did not know about genes but showed that inherited characteristics can be dominant or
recessive. (i) State where genes are found in cells.
(a) Explain how Mendel used homozygous tall and homozygous short pea plants to show (1)
that the tall allele is dominant to the short allele. .............................................................................................................................................
(2)
(ii) Figure 6 shows the inheritance of cystic fibrosis in a family.
............................................................................................................................................. F represents the dominant allele that does not cause cystic fibrosis.
f represents the recessive allele that causes cystic fibrosis.
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

*(b) Figure 16 shows a drosophila fruit fly.

A scientist states that the genotype of person B is Ff.

Explain why the scientist is correct.
Figure 16 (2)
.............................................................................................................................................
The brown body colour of a drosophila fruit fly is dominant to black body colour and is not
sex-linked. .............................................................................................................................................
Explain how Gregor Mendel could have used a brown drosophila fruit fly and a black
drosophila fruit fly to show that brown body colour is dominant to black body colour. .............................................................................................................................................
(6)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(iii) State the genotype of person C.
............................................................................................................................................. (1)

............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 4 marks)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Edexcel Biology GCSE - Inheritance PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Q21.

Gregor Mendel investigated genetic inheritance using pea plants.

Figure 3 shows some of the equipment used in this investigation.

Figure 3

In an investigation, Mendel crossed pea plants that produced yellow seeds (AA) with pea
plants that produced green seeds (aa).
The dominant allele is shown as A.
The Punnett square shows the genotypes of the offspring from this cross.

Explain a conclusion that can be made from the results of this cross.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 2 marks)