Heredity and Evolution:

1. Exchange of genetic material takes place in

1) budding
2) sexual reproduction
3) asexual reproduction
4) vegetative reproduction
2. Two pink coloured flowers on crossing resulted in 1 red, 2 pink, and 1 white
flower progeny. The nature of the cross will be
1) self-pollination
2) double fertilisation
3) no fertilisation
4) cross fertilisation

3. A cross between a tall plant (TT) and short pea plant (tt) resulted in progeny that
were all tall plants because
1) height of pea plant is not governed by gene ‘T’ or ‘t’
2) tallness is the recessive trait
3) shortness is the dominant trait
4) tallness is the dominant trait

Sol. 4) tallness is the dominant trait

According to the law of dominance, the character that is expressed in the

F1 generation is called the dominant trait whereas character that is not expressed in
F1 generation is knowns as recessive trait. Thus, tallness is the dominant trait.
4. Which of the following is not correct-
1) For every molecule of fat there is a gene
2) For production of every enzyme there is a gene
3) For every protein there is a gene
4) For every hormone there is a gene
Sol. 1) For every molecule of fat there is a gene
Hormone and enzymes are proteins and formation of any particular protein is
controlled by a particular gene. Hence, all other options are correct.

5. It a round green seeded pea plant (RRYY) is crossed with wrinkled yellow seeded
pea plant (rr yy) the seeds to be produced in F1 generation will be:
1) round and green
2) wrinkled and green
3) Wrinkled and yellow
4) round and yellow
Sol. 1) round and green
Since roundness and green colour are shown by capital letters in the genotype so
they are dominant traits. We know that only dominant traits are expressed in
F1 generation.
6. In human males, all the chromosomes are paired perfectly except one. This/these
unpaired chromosomes is/are
large chromosome
small chromosome
Y-chromosome
X-chromosome
1) (iii) and (iv)
2) (i) and (ii)
3) (ii) and (iv)
4) (iii) only

Sol. 1) (iii) and (iv)

In human beings, there are 23 pairs of the chromosome, out of which one pair is sex
chromosome. In males, there are two types of sex chromosomes-X and Y. In males,
all chromosomes are paired except sex chromosomes. Hence, normal-sized X
chromosomes and small-sized Y chromosomes are unpaired.
7. The maleness of a child is determined by
1) the Y chromosome in zygote
2) the cytoplasm of germ cell which determines the sex
3) the X chromosome in the zygote
4) sex is determined by chance
8. A zygote which has an X-chromosome inherited from the father will develop into
a
1) either boy or girl
2) girl
3) X- chromosome does not determine the sex of a child
4) boy

9. Select the incorrect statement

1) Frequency of certain genes in a population change over several generations
resulting in evolution
2) Traits which are not inherited over generations do not cause evolution
3) Reduction in weight of the organism due to starvation is genetically controlled
4) Low weight parents can have heavy weight progeny

Sol. 3) Reduction in weight of the organism due to starvation is genetically

controlled

The reduction in weight of the organism due to starvation is an external

environmentally determining factor. It is not genetically controlled because it will not
change the DNA of germ cells.

10. New species may be formed if

DNA undergoes significant changes in germ cells
chromosome number changes in the gamete
there is no change in the genetic material
mating does not take place
1) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
2) (i) and (iii)
3) (i) and (ii)
4) (i), (ii) and (iii)

Sol. 3) (i) and (ii)

New species may be formed if DNA undergoes significant changes in germ cells and
chromosome number changes in the gamete. This leads to new variations.

11. Two pea plants one with round green seeds (RRyy) and another with wrinkled
yellow (rrYY) seeds produce F1 progeny that have round, yellow (RrYy) seeds.
When F1 plants are selfed, the F2 progeny will have new combination of
characters. Choose the new combination from the following
Round, yellow
Round, green
Wrinkled, yellow
Wrinkled, green
1) (i) and (iv)
2) (i) and (iii)
3) (ii) and (iii)
4) (i) and (ii)
Sol. 3) (ii) and (iii)
The new combination in F2 progeny will be round, yellow, and wrinkled green. The
phenotypic ratio 9:3:3:1 is obtained. This can be shown by following Punette square:

12. Which of the following statements is not true with respect to variation?
1) Selection of variants by environmental factors forms the basis of evolutionary
processes.
2) All variations in a species have equal chance of survival
3) Change in genetic composition results in variation
4) Variation is minimum in asexual reproduction

Sol. 2) All variations in a species have equal chance of survival

Variation means certain changes that occur in sexually reproducing organisms

because of errors in DNA copying. Variations are beneficial for species because they
increase the adaptability of an organism to its changing environmental conditions.
The variations produced in organisms during successive generations get
accumulated in the organism. The significance of variations shows up only if it
continues to be inherited by the offspring for several generations.

13. A trait in an organism is influenced by

1) Both maternal & Paternal DNA
2) Paternal DNA only
3) Neither maternal nor paternal DNA.
4) Maternal DNA only
Sol. 1) Both maternal & Paternal DNA
As during fertilisation, sperm only gives nucleus, but ova give nucleus as well as
cytoplasm. Therefore, the mitochondrial DNA and other cytoplasmic factors are
inherited directly from mother. there are some traits which are exclusively linked with
Y- chromosome and they are inherited by the male child directly from father.
14. Select the group which shares maximum number of common characters-
1) two genera of a family
2) two individuals of a species
3) two species of a genus
4) two genera of two families
Sol. 2) two individuals of a species
species is the lowest level of classification and shows the high level of similarities
among the organisms. so, two individuals of a species have the maximum common
characteristics.
15. The two versions of a trait (character) which are brought in by the male and
female gametes are situated on
1) any chromosome
2) two different chromosomes
3) sex chromosomes
4) copies of the same chromosome
Sol. 2) two different chromosomes
The two versions of a trait that are brought in by the male and female gametes are
situated on copies of the same chromosome. Each parent contributes one copy of
the gene for a particular trait.
16. Select the statements that describe characteristics of genes
genes are specific sequence of bases in a DNA molecule
a gene does not code for proteins
in individuals of a given species, a specific gene is located on a particular
chromosome
each chromosome has only one gene
1) (ii) and (iv)
2) (i) and (ii)
3) (i) and (iii)
4) (i) and (iv)
Sol. 3) (i) and (iii)
Genes are units of hereditary and are responsible for inheritance. Genes control the
expression of a trait or a character in an organism. Genes are located on the
chromosomes inside the nucleus of the cell.
17. In peas, a pure tall plant (TT) is crossed with a short plant (tt). The ratio of pure
tall plants to short plants in F2 is
1) 3:1
2) 1:1
3) 1:3
4) 2:1
Sol. 2) 1 : 1
When purebred tall plant with the phenotype (TT) crossed with a short plant with the
phenotype (tt), the possible progeny in F2 generation: TT(1), tt(1), and Tt(2). Thus,
the ratio of pure tall (TT) to pure short (tt) is 1:1.
18. Does genetic combination of mothers play a significant role in determining the sex of a
new-born?
No, mother have no role in determining the sex of a new born. As female have only a
pair of X chromosome all children wiil inherit only one X chromosome from the mother.
As males have X and Y chromosome its the father, who determines the sex of a new
born.

19. Why do all the gametes formed in human females have X chromosome?
Human females have a pair of X chromosomes called sex chromosomes. Hence, after
gametogenesis, an X chromosome will always be present in each gamete. Hence all
the gametes possess an X chromosome.
20. Give the pair of contrasting traits of the following characters in plant and mention which
one is recessive and which is dominant?
yellow seed
round seed
21. In the following crosses write the characteristics of the progeny
 Cross Progeny
(a) RR YY x RR YY ........................... Round, yellow
Round, yellow
(b) Rr Yy x Rr Yy ........................... Round, yellow Round,
yellow
(c) rr yy x rr yy ........................... wrinkled, green wrinkled,
green
(d) RR YY x rr yy ........................... Round, yellow
wrinkled green

Sol. A cross between two pure breeding dominant parents gives pure breeding dominant
progeny in the F1 generation. All produced progeny will exhibit round and yellow with
the phenotype (RRYY).
A cross between two dihybrid dominant recessive parents gives phenotypic ratio
9:3:3:1 in progeny. All progeny in this cross will exhibit round yellow (RRYY), Round
yellow (RrYy), Round green (RRyy), Round green (Rryy), wrinkled yellow (rrYY),
wrinkled yellow (rrYy), wrinkled green (rryy).
A cross between two pure breeding recessive parents gives pure breeding recessive
progeny in the F1 generation. All produced progeny will exhibit wrinkled green with the
phenotype (rryy).
A cross between pure breeding dominant and pure recessive parents gives
heterozygous dominant progeny. All progeny in the cross will have genotype RrYy and
exhibit Round yellow.

22. Study the following cross that shows the self-pollination in F1, fill in the blank the
genotype and phenotype in the F1 generation. What type of cross it is?
Parents RRYY x rryy
Round, yellow wrinkled, green
F1 — Rr Yy x ?
Round, yellow

Sol. Parents RRYY x rryy

Round, yellow wrinkled, green
 F1 — Rr Yy x Rr Yy
Round, yellow Round, yellow
The given cross is a dihybrid cross that shows the inheritance of two different traits
simultaneously. In the given question, when pure breeding dominant parent plant
(RRYY) crossed with pure breeding recessive parent plant (rryy), it gives heterozygous
dominant progeny in the F1 generation. All progeny in this cross will have genotype
RrYy and exhibit round yellow. Self-cross of F1 progeny will give F2 generation.

23. Study the following table given below and answer the question that follows:
What are the combinations of character in the F2 progeny?
What are their ratios?
Parents RRYY x rryy
Round, yellow wrinkled, green
F1 — Rr Yy x ?
Round, yellow

Sol. A dihybrid cross shows the inheritance of two different traits simultaneously. A cross
between two dihybrid dominant recessive parents gives phenotypic ratio 9:3:3:1 in
progeny.
When a cross is made between homozygous yellow round seeds(YYRR) to another
homozygous green wrinkled seeds (yyrr). In the F1 generation, all plants are
heterozygous yellow round(YyrRr). When this plant is subjected to self-pollination, in
the F2 generation, 9 plants are Yellow round, 3 plants are yellow wrinkled, 3 plants are
green round and 1 plant is green wrinkled are formed.
The dihybrid phenotypic ratio is 9:3:3:1.

24. Give the basic features of the mechanism of inheritance.

Basic features of mechanism of inheritance-
Each character is controlled by a pair of factors. The factors may be similar or
dissimilar.
When two dissimilar factors of a character are present in an organism, only one
expresses itself while other remains unexpressed.
Two factors of a character are separated at the time of gamete formation and get only
one factor for that character.
 Inheritance of two or more pairs of contrasting traits in such a way that one pair of
contrasting traits is independent of the other pairs of contrasting traits.

25. Give reasons for the appearance of new combinations of characters in the F2 progeny.
The reason for the appearance of new combinations in the F2 generation is given by
the law of independent assortment. The law of independent assortment states that:
When two pairs of traits are combined in a hybrid, one pair of characters segregates
independently of the other pair of characters.
In a dihybrid cross, when pea plants with round and green seeds (RRyy) are crossed
with plants with wrinkled and yellow seeds (rrYY), round and yellow color (RrYy) seeds
are produced in the F1 generation. In the F1 generation, the dominant alleles suppress
the recessive ones. So, as a result, only the dominant allele is expressed. Thus, all the
progenies in the F1 generation showed dominant traits only. However, genes for
recessive traits were present in all the plants.
When F1 generation is crossed, they give rise to new combinations in the
F2 generation with round yellow, round green, wrinkled yellow, and wrinkled green in
the ratio 9:3:3:1.