Important Questions for Class 12

Biology

Chapter 5 - Principles of Inheritance and Variation

Very Short Answer Questions 1 Mark

1. Give any two reasons for the selection of pea plants by Mendel for his
experiments.
Ans: The two reasons for the selection of pea plants by Mendel for his
experiments are:
(i) Many varieties are present with contrasting forms of characters.
(ii) They can be easily cross-pollinated as well as self-pollinated.

2. Name any one plant that shows the phenomenon of incomplete dominance
during the inheritance of its flower colour.
Ans: Dog flower or Snapdragon ( Antirrhinum sp.) is the plant that shows the
phenomenon of incomplete dominance during the inheritance of its flower
colour.

3. Name the base change and the amino acid change, responsible for sickle
cell anaemia.
Ans: The change in base GAG as GUG and substitution of Glutamic acid by
valine is responsible for sickle cell anaemia.

4. Name the disorder with the following chromosome complement.

(i) 22 pairs of autosomes + X X Y

(ii) 22 pairs of autosomes + 21st chromosome + XY.
Ans: The name of disorders are:

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(i) Klinefelter's Syndrome with chromosome complement as 22 pairs of
autosomes + X X Y.
(ii) Downs syndrome with chromosome complement as 22 pairs of autosomes +
21st chromosome + XY.

5. A haemophilic man marries a normal homozygous woman. What is the

probability that their daughter will be haemophilic?
Ans: When a haemophilic man marries a normal homozygous woman, is the
probability of their daughter being haemophilic is $ 0 $%.

6. A test is performed to know whether the given plant is homozygous

dominant or heterozygous. Name the test and phenotypic ratio of this test
for a monohybrid cross.
Ans: A test cross is performed to know whether the given plant is homozygous
dominant or heterozygous and 1:1 is the phenotypic ratio of the test cross for a
monohybrid cross.

7. Name the phenomena that occur when homologous chromosomes do not

separate during meiosis.
Ans: The name of the phenomenon is non – disjunction that occurs when
homologous chromosomes do not separate during meiosis.

8. Name one trait each in humans & in drosophila whose genes are located
on the sex chromosome.
Ans: The name of traits whose genes are located on the sex chromosome in
humans is colourblindness and in drosophila is eye colour.

9. What is meant by aneuploidy?

Ans: Aneuploidy is the phenomenon of the existing or loss of one or more

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chromosomes due to failure in the separation of members of a homologous pair
of chromosomes during meiosis.

10. What genetic principle could be derived from a monohybrid cross?

Ans: The Law of dominance is the genetic principle derived from a monohybrid
cross.

11. Which one change is the cause of sickle–cell anaemia?

Ans: Sickle–cell anaemia is caused due to a point mutation at the 6th position in
the B-chain of haemoglobin in which glutamic acid is replaced by valine.

12. What is a test cross?

Ans: A test cross is a cross in which offspring with a dominant phenotype is
crossed with a homozygous recessive individual to determine the offspring’s
genotype for the specific trait.

13. What is mutagen? Give an example?

Ans: The physical or chemical agents that cause mutations are called mutagen.
For eg x-rays, CNBr etc.

14. What was the total number of varieties of garden pea which Mendel had
taken to start his experiment?
Ans: The total number of fourteen varieties of a garden pea has been taken by
Mendel to start his experiment.

15. Name any one plant & its feature that shows the phenomena of
incomplete dominance?

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Ans: Antirrhinum majus shows the phenomenon of incomplete dominance in
flower colour.

Short Answer Questions 2 Marks

1. Identify the sex of the organism as male or female in which the sex
chromosome is found as

(i) ZW in birds
(ii) XY in Drosophila
(iii) ZZ in birds
(iv) XO in grasshoppers.
Ans: Following is the sex of the organism in which the sex chromosome is found
as:
(i) ZW in birds: Female
(ii) XY in Drosophila: Male
(iii) ZZ in birds: Female
(iv) XO in grasshopper: Male

2. Mention two differences between Turner’s syndrome and Klinefelter's

syndrome.
Ans: The two differences between Turner’s syndrome and Klinefelter's
syndrome is as follows:

Turner’s syndrome Klinefelter's syndrome

The suffering individual is female. The suffering individual is male.

It has 45 chromosomes i.e., one X It has 47 chromosomes i.e., one extra

chromosome is less. X chromosome.

3. The human male never passes on the gene for haemophilia to his son. Why
is it so?

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Ans: The human male never passes on the gene for haemophilia to his son
because the gene for haemophilia is present on the X chromosome. A male has
only one X chromosome which he receives from his mother and the Y
chromosome from his father. The human male passes the X chromosome to his
daughters or female progeny and not to the sons or male progeny.

4. Mention four reasons why Drosophila was chosen by Morgan for his
experiments in genetics.
Ans: The four reasons for which Morgan has chosen Drosophila for his
experiments in genetics are as follows:

(i) Drosophila has a very short life cycle i.e. of 2-weeks.

(ii) It can be grown easily in the laboratory.
(iii) In single mating it produces a large number of flies.
(iv) Many hereditary variations have been shown by males and females.
(v) It has only 4 pairs of chromosomes that are distinct in size and shape.

5. Differentiate between point mutation and frameshift mutations.

Ans: The difference between point mutation and frameshift mutation is as
follows:

Point mutation Frameshift mutation

It arises due to change in a single base It arises due to deletion or insertion
pair of DNA e.g., sickle cell anaemia. or duplication or addition of one or
two bases in DNA.

6. Give any two similarities between the behaviour of genes (Mendel’s

factor) during inheritance and chromosomes during cell division.
Ans: The two similarities between the behaviour of genes (Mendel’s factor)
during inheritance and the behaviour of chromosomes during cell division are as
follows:
(i) In diploid cells, the chromosomes are found in pairs like Mendelian factors.

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(ii) The chromosomes of different homologous pairs are assorted independently
into gametes during meiosis. This is at random showing parallelism with
mendelian factors.

7. Which law of Mendel is universally accepted? State the law?

Ans: Mendel’s law of segregation is universally accepted. The law states that –
“The two alleles of a gene remain separate and do not contaminate each other in
F1 or the hybrid. At the time of gamete formation, two alleles get separated and
pair into different gametes”.

8. How will you find out whether a given plant is homozygous or

heterozygous?
Ans: To test whether a plant is homozygous or heterozygous, a test cross is
performed in which an individual is crossed with homozygous recessive for the
trait. If a plant is heterozygous, the progeny of testcross consists of tall and dwarf
plants in the ratio of 1:1.

If the plant is homozygous, the progeny of testcross will have all tall plants.

9. Why do sons of a haemophilic father never suffer from this trait?

Ans: Since haemophilic is a sex-linked character and the gene responsible for
haemophilia is present on the X chromosome, it shows criss-cross inheritance
i.e., the X chromosome is transferred from father to his daughter and not to his
son. Therefore the son of a haemophilic father is never haemophilic.

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10. How is the child affected if it has grown from the zygote formed by an
XX-egg fertilized by Y-carrying sperm? What do you call this abnormality?
Ans: If a child has grown from the zygote formed by XX-egg fertilized by Y-
sperm, the child will suffer from Klinefelter syndrome and he will have XXY
genotype. The Klinefelter syndrome is characterized by the child’s development
of prominent feminine characters such as tall stature with feminised physique,
breast development, pubic hair pattern, poor beard growth, & sterility.

11. The map distance between a certain organisms genes A and B is 4 units,
between B and C is 5 units and between C and D is 8 units. Which one of the
gene pairs will show more recombination frequency? Give reason.
Ans: Here, C and D will show maximum gene recombination because genes that
are linked more closely are having the least frequency of recombination and vice
versa.

12. Give the chromosomal constitution and related sex in each of the
following:-
(i) Turner syndrome
(ii) Klinefelter syndrome
Ans: The chromosomal constitution and related sex in Turner syndrome and
Klinefelter syndrome is as follows:

(i) Turner syndrome – In Turner syndrome XO is the chromosomal constitution

and is female containing 45 chromosomes and lacking in one X-
Chromosome.
(ii) Klinefelter syndrome – In Klinefelter syndrome XXY is the chromosomal
constitution and is male containing 47 chromosomes and has one extra X-
chromosome.

13. What is pedigree analysis? How is it useful?

Ans: The analysis of case history about the inheritance of a specific trait in
several generations of a family is named pedigree analysis. It provides a robust
tool that's utilized to trace the inheritance of specific traits or abnormalities or
diseases.

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14. What are multiple alleles? Give an example?
Ans: The presence of more than two alleles of a trait is called multiple alleles.
E.g.in human beings, four types of blood groups are recognized and their
different alleles I A , I B , and I O of a gene determines the phenotype of four blood
groups.

Short Answer Questions 3 Marks

1. A woman with an O blood group marries a man with an AB blood group

(i) Work out all the possible phenotypes and genotypes of the progeny.
(ii) Discuss the kind of dominance in the parents and the progeny in this
case.
Ans: When a woman with an O blood group marries a man with an AB blood
group then

(i) Work out all the possible phenotypes and genotypes of the progeny.
Ans: All the possible phenotypes of the progeny include blood groups A and B
and genotypes of the progeny will be I A i and I Bi because blood group AB has
alleles I A I B and blood group O has ii which on the cross gives both types of
blood groups A and B while the genotype of progeny will be I A i and I Bi .

Father’s genes: I A I B
Mother’s genes: ii

Therefore, the cross will be

Mother’s genes→
i i
Father’s genes↓
IA IAi IAi
IB I Bi I Bi

(ii) Discuss the kind of dominance in the parents and the progeny in this
case.
Ans: In the above-mentioned case, the kind of dominance in the parents and the

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progeny is that they ( I A and I B ) are equally dominant or co-dominant. In the
case of multiple allelism, a gene I exists in three allelic forms, I A , I B and i .

2. Explain the cause of Klinefelter’s syndrome. Give any four symptoms

shown by the sufferer of this syndrome.
Ans: The presence of an extra chromosome in males i.e., XXY is the cause of
Klinefelter’s syndrome. The symptoms found in the sufferer of Klinefelter’s
syndrome are the development of breast, female type pubic hair pattern, poor
beard growth, underdeveloped testes, and tall stature with the feminized
physique.

3. In Mendel's breeding experiment on garden peas, the offspring of the F2

generation are obtained in the ratio of 25 % pure yellow pod, 50 % hybrid
green pods and 25 % green pods. State

(i) which pod colour is dominant

Ans: Green pod colour is dominant in the offspring of the F2 generation.

(ii) The Phenotypes of the individuals of the F1 generation.

Ans: Green pod colour is the phenotype of the individuals of the F1 generation.

(iii) Workout the cross.

Ans: The cross will be shown as:

Phenotypic ratio 3: 1

Genotypic ratio 1: 2: 1

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4. In Antirrhinum majus a plant with red flowers was crossed with a plant
with white flowers. Work out all the possible genotypes and phenotypes of
F1 and F2 generations, comment on the pattern of inheritance in this case?

Ans: When Antirrhinum majus, a plant with red flowers, was crossed with a plant
with white flowers, the F1 hybrid was pink i.e. a middle colour between red and
white will appear which indicates that both red and white are incompletely
dominant. When F1 individuals were self-pollinated, the F2 generation consists
of red, pink and white flowers that appear in the ratio of 1:2:1 respectively. The
pattern of inheritance of flower colour in snapdragon or Antirrhinum majus is an
example of incomplete dominance.

5. A red-eyed male fruit fly is crossed with a white-eyed female fruit fly.
Work out the possible genotype and phenotype of F1 and F2 generation.
Comment on the pattern of inheritance in this cross?
Ans: When a red-eyed male fruit fly is crossed with a white-eyed female fruit
fly, the offspring will have both white-eyed male & red-eyed female in the ratio
of 1:1 in the F1 generation. In the F2 generation, 50 % females will be red-eyed

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and 50 % will be white-eyed, similarly, in males 50 % will be red-eyed and 50 %
will be white-eyed. This result indicates that in fruitflies males transmit their sex-
linked characters to their grandson through their daughter; such type of
inheritance is called criss-cross inheritance.

6. A man with AB blood group marries a woman with O group blood.

(i) Work out all the possible phenotypes and genotypes of the progeny.
(ii) Discuss the kind of domination in parents and progeny in this case?
Ans: When a man with AB blood group marries a woman with O group blood
then

(i) Half the progeny will have blood group A with genotype I A IO & half the
progeny will have blood group B with genotype I B I O .

(ii) In this case both the genes I A and I B are dominant over the I O gene therefore
the progeny shows either blood group A or B. Since in parents both the
dominant genes are present together this phenomenon is called codominance.

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7. In a cross made between a hybrid tall and red plant (TtRr) with dwarf &
white flower (ttrr). What will be the genotype of plants in the F1 generation?

Ans: When a cross is made between a hybrid tall and red plant (TtRr) with dwarf
and white flower (ttrr) plants then TtRr, ttRr, ttRr, and ttRr will be the genotypes
of the plants develop in the F1 generation.

8. How sex is determined in human beings?

Ans: In human beings, all the females bear a pair of X-chromosomes while males
have one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome which is comparatively smaller
in size. Thus, in a cross between males and females, there is an equal probability
of males and females in progeny and sex is determined based on the presence of
a Y-chromosome in the progeny. If a Y-chromosome is present it is male
otherwise it is a female child.

9. A smooth seeded and red-flowered pea plant (SsRr) is crossed with a

smooth seeded and white-flowered pea plant (Ssrr). Determine the
phenotypic and genotypic ratio in F1 progeny?

Ans: When a cross is done between smooth seeded and red-flowered pea plant
(SsRr) along with a smooth seeded and white-flowered pea plant (Ssrr) then
1:3:3:1 will be the phenotypic ratio in F1 progeny i.e., rough seed and red flower
=1, smooth seed and red flower =3, smooth seed and white flower =3, and rough
seed and white flower =1. The genotypic ratio is F1 progeny will be 1:2:1:2:1:1
i.e., SSRr =1, SsRr =2, SSrr =1, Ssrr =2, ssRr =1, and ssrr =1.

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Long Answer Questions 5 Marks

1. A dihybrid heterozygous round, yellow seeded garden pea (Pisum

sativum) was crossed with a double recessive plant.

(i) What type of cross is this?

(ii) Work out the genotype and phenotype of the progeny.
(iii) What principle of Mendel is illustrated through the result of this cross?
Ans: When a dihybrid heterozygous round- yellow seeded garden pea (Pisum
sativum) was crossed with a double recessive plant then

(i) What type of cross is this?

Ans: This type of cross is known as a dihybrid test cross.

(ii) Work out the genotype and phenotype of the progeny.

Ans:

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(iii) What principle of Mendel is illustrated through the result of this cross?
Ans: Through the result of the dihybrid test cross Mendel’s principle of
independent assortment is illustrated.

2. In dogs, barking trait is dominant over silent trait & erect ears are
dominant over drooping ears. What is the expected phenotypic ratio of
offspring when dogs heterozygous for both the traits are crossed?
Ans: When dogs are heterozygous for both (barking/silent trait and erect
ears/drooping ears) the traits are crossed then the expected phenotypic ratio of
offspring will be 9 : 3 : 3: 1 where traits for barking & erect ears = 9, barking &
drooping ears =3, silent & erect ears = 3, and silent & drooping ears =1.

3. Differentiate between dominance, codominance and incomplete

dominance with one example each.
Ans: The differences between dominance, codominance and incomplete
dominance with one example are as follows:

Incomplete
Dominance Codominance
dominance

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 When a cross is made
between two characters
in which one character is
completely dominant
over the other character
in the progeny, this
phenomenon is called
dominance.
For eg. When the true-
breeding tall pea plant is
crossed with the true-
breeding dwarf pea
plant, all the plants in the
F1 generation are tall;
this shows that the tall
character is dominant
over dwarf in the
progeny.
Class XII Biology
If the two equally When a cross is made
dominant genes are between two
present together, both of characters of which
them will be equally none of them is
expressed, this completely dominant
phenomenon is called then an intermediate
codominance. character develops in
the progeny, this
phenomenon is called
Incomplete
dominance.
For eg. alleles of the For eg. when a cross is
blood group, I A and I B made between a red
are dominant over I O but flower & a white
when both the alleles are flower in a snapdragon
present together, both of flower an intermediate
them will equally pink colour appears in
express and form a the progeny.
phenotype AB.
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4. A dihybrid heterozygous tall and yellow pea plant was crossed with the
double recessive plant.
(i) What type of cross is this?
(ii) Work out the genotype & phenotype of progeny
(iii)What principle of Mendel is illustrated through the result of this cross?
Ans: When a dihybrid heterozygous tall and yellow pea plant was crossed with
the double recessive plant then

(i) What type of cross is this?

Ans: This type of cross is known as a test cross.

(ii) Work out the genotype & phenotype of progeny

Ans:

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(iii) What principle of Mendel is illustrated through the result of this cross?
Ans: Through the result of testcross Mendel’s Principle of Independent
Assortment is illustrated. According to the principal, in the inheritance of
contrasting characters, the factors of each pair of characters segregate
independently of the factors of the other pair of characters.

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