PRACTICAL Name:

39 A model for genetics

You need:
■ some coins of the same denomination
■ circular sticky labels which fit a coin
H and h are alleles of the gene for hair colour.
H is dominant and if it is present the hair is dark.
If both alleles are h the hair is fair.
The diagram shows that zygotes with a dominant
allele (HH, Hh or hH) are three times more likely
to be produced than zygotes with two recessive
alleles (hh). In other words, dominant and
recessive phenotypes occur in the ratio of 3:1.
This happens because:
● half the sperms carry the H allele and half
carry the h allele

ova ● half the ova carry the H allele and half carry
the h allele
H h
H HH Hh ● there is an equal chance that, during
sperms fertilisation, any sperm can fertilise any ovum
h hH hh
(i.e. fertilisation is a random process).
Look at the diagram above showing the zygotes This can be checked experimentally using coins
which could be produced by a father with the to represent sperms and ova, and coin tossing to
genotype Hh and a mother with the genotype Hh. represent the random process of fertilisation.

Method Sperm coin

1 Work in groups of two. Each group should obtain two coins.
Use circular sticky labels to mark one side of one coin sperm
A and the opposite side sperm a, then label one side of the Sperm A Sperm a
other coin ovum A and the opposite side ovum a. Copy the
chart below.
Head side Tail side
2 Working in pairs, spin the ‘sperm coin’ and the ‘ovum coin’
at the same time. Look at how they fall and enter the result Ovum coin
in the appropriate part of the tally column. Repeat at least
50 times, then work out the totals.
3 Does the ratio of dominant to recessive phenotypes come to Ovum A Ovum a

about 3:1?
Why must the coins be tossed at least 50 times to get reliable
Head side Tail side
results?

sperm ovum tally

A A
a A total =
A a
a a } total =

Extension
B and b are the alleles for eye colour. B is
dominant and if present the eyes are brown. If
both alleles are b the eyes are blue. A blue eyed
man has the genotype bb. He is married to a
brown eyed woman with the genotype Bb.
● What are the chances that their first child will
have blue eyes?
● What are the chances that their second child
will have blue eyes?
● If they have four children, how many will
have brown eyes? (Be careful – can you be
sure?)

© OUP: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchaser’s institute