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Hello! I am Studyfin, your science tutor. Today, we will explore how you got your unique traits!
Inside almost every cell of your body, there is a set of instructions. These instructions are called DNA, and they are packed tightly into structures called chromosomes.
Chromosomes are like instruction books, and genes are the specific pages inside them. Each gene has the code for a single trait, like your eye color or hair texture.
Offspring inherit half of their chromosomes from their mother and half from their father. This combination of genes determines the unique traits of the offspring.
Let us analyze how a puppy inherits its fur color. A mother dog has genes for black fur, and a father dog has genes for brown fur. How do chromosomes explain the puppy's final fur color?
- Identify the source of the chromosomes: The puppy gets 39 chromosomes from the mother and 39 from the father.
- Locate the genes: The genes for fur color are located at specific spots on these inherited chromosomes.
- Analyze the gene combination: The puppy now has one gene for black fur and one gene for brown fur.
- Determine the trait: The dominant gene will show up. If black is dominant, the puppy will have black fur, but it still carries the brown gene to pass on later.
