Name: ___________________________________ Period: ________ Date: ________________ ID: A

Genetics practice test

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Indicate your answer choice with
an UPPER CASE letter in the space provided.

____ 1. Usually, an egg cell from a human female contains

A.  one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. B.  one X chromosome. C.  one Y chromosome.
D.  two X chromosomes. E.  two Y chromosomes.
____ 2. The three-base sequence of DNA codes for
A.  one protein. B.  one strand of mRNA. C.  one amino acid. D.  one polypeptide. E.  one
strand of tRNA.
____ 3. The bases are bonded to what part of the backbone of the DNA molecule?
A.  the 1' carbon atom of the sugar molecule B.  the 2' carbon atom of the sugar molecule C.  the 3'
carbon atom of the sugar molecule D.  the 4' carbon atom of the sugar molecule E.  the 5' carbon
atom of the sugar molecule
____ 4. What is epistasis?
A.  A phenotype is inherited only from the mother. B.  A gene is expressed in only one sex.
C.  One trait is affected by several genes. D.  One gene affects the way others are expressed.
E.  One gene influences several phenotypes.
____ 5. The segregation principle states that in sexually reproducing diploid organisms the two copies of each
gene
A.  move together as a unit during meiosis. B.  separate from each other during mitosis. C.  will
both wind up in either the sperm or egg. D.  must always be the same allele. E.  segregate from each
other during meiosis.
____ 6. What form of RNA carries instructions from the nucleus to the ribosome?
A.  tRNA B.  mRNA C.  sRNA D.  rRNA E.  bRNA
____ 7. The "language" of the genetic code of DNA uses an alphabet of
A.  nucleotide bases. B.  proteins. C.  amino acids. D.  sugars. E.  phosphate molecules.
____ 8. The most important experimental result that suggested to Watson and Crick that DNA was in the form
of a helix was
A.  the finding of Chargaff that DNA always had equal amounts of A and T and equal amounts of G and
C. B.  Griffith's results with transformation. C.  the discovery that DNA is wound around histone
proteins. D.  X-ray data from Rosalind Franklin working with Maurice Wilkin. E.  understanding
DNA replication.
____ 9. The genetic makeup of a particular trait in an individual is its
A.  dominance. B.  heterozygosity. C.  genotype. D.  phenotype. E.  filial.
____ 10. A package of histones with DNA wrapped around them forms spherical structures called
A.  nucleoli. B.  chromatin. C.  nucleosomes. D.  ribosomes. E.  lysosomes.
____ 11. The anticodon of the tRNA molecule base pairs with
A.  DNA. B.  mRNA. C.  amino acids. D.  polypeptides. E.  rRNA.

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Name: ______________________ ID: A

____ 12. Genes are composed of

A.  DNA. B.  proteins. C.  chromosomes. D.  carbohydrates. E.  lipids.
____ 13. In eukaryotes, transcription occurs in the
A.  cell membrane. B.  cytoplasm. C.  mitochondria. D.  nucleus. E.  ribosome.
____ 14. An organism with two copies of the same allele is said to be
A.  homozygous. B.  heterozygous. C.  phenotypic. D.  genotypic. E.  a hybrid.
____ 15. The two subunits of the ribosome join during
A.  initiation of translation. B.  promotion of transcription. C.  elongation. D.  termination of
translation. E.  termination of transcription.
____ 16. The structure of DNA was determined primarily by
A.  Mendel. B.  Watson and Crick. C.  Pauling. D.  Hershey and Chase. E.  Griffith.
____ 17. Which is not true of DNA replication?
A.  It occurs in the S phase of the cell cycle. B.  It functions similarly for all organisms. C.  It is
semiconservative. D.  Both strands are synthesized in one direction only. E.  Both strands are
synthesized continuously.
____ 18. Normal human body cells contain how many chromosomes?
A.  22 B.  23 C.  46 D.  44 E.  42
____ 19. Pedigrees are
A.  used by geneticists to determine the sequence of an individual's genes. B.  histories of families
with regard to particular genetic traits. C.  used only for dogs, cats, and horses. D.  mutated alleles
capable of causing genetic disorders. E.  characteristics that are apparent in an individual.
____ 20. Tall corn plants (T) are dominant to dwarf plants (tt). Solid green leaves (G) are dominant to leaves
with a white tip (gg). A cross between two corn plants yielded the following phenotypes: 51 tall plants
with a white tip on their leaves; 43 dwarf plants with solid leaves; 48 dwarf plants with white tips on
their leaves; 45 tall plants with solid leaves. What are the genotypes of the parents that produced these
plants?
A.  TtGg × TtGg B.  TtGg × Ttgg C.  ttGG × TTgg D.  TtGg × ttgg E.  None of the above
____ 21. With respect to genetic traits, what is the opposite of recessive?
A.  regressive B.  progressive C.  dominant D.  subordinant E.  hybrid
____ 22. DNA and RNA are similar in that both
A.  contain the same sugar. B.  are double-stranded molecules. C.  contain nitrogenous bases.
D.  are in the form of a double-helix. E.  are very long molecules.
____ 23. We refer to the DNA code as being redundant or repetitive. This means that
A.  each triplet codes for one amino acid. B.  some codons code for the same amino acid. C.  one
codon codes for one amino acid. D.  each triplet codes for a different amino acid. E.  a single triplet
may code for more than one amino acid.
____ 24. The anticodon
A.  is found on mRNA. B.  has the same sequence as the codon. C.  is a sequence found on DNA.
D.  helps the ribosome begin translation. E.  helps bring in the correct amino acid to add to the
growing polypeptide chain.

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Name: ______________________ ID: A

____ 25. When looking at a table depicting the genetic code, the base sequences signify
A.  DNA. B.  mtDNA. C.  mRNA. D.  tRNA. E.  rRNA.
____ 26. Promoters
A.  determine the start of DNA strand separation. B.  are required to end transcription. C.  are a
sequence of RNA nucleotides. D.  are involved in determining the start of translation. E.  aid in
complementary base pairing.
____ 27. Different forms of a gene are known as
A.  alleles. B.  hybrids. C.  recessives. D.  genotypes. E.  phenotypes.
____ 28. A gene on the X chromosome is said to be
A.  heterozygous. B.  sex limited. C.  x-linked. D.  bipolar. E.  a mutation.
____ 29. The physical characteristics of an organism resulting from its genes are known as the organism's
A.  alleles. B.  hybrids. C.  recessive characteristics. D.  genotype. E.  phenotype.
____ 30. Mendel observed that dominant traits
A.  are only expressed in hybrids. B.  were absent in the F1 generation of pea plants that he used in
his experiments. C.  were the only trait seen in the F2 generation of pea plants in his experiments.
D.  are expressed in all plants. E.  are seen in all the F1 hybrid pea plants in his experiments.
____ 31. An allele is
A.  the dominant form of a gene. B.  an alternate form of a gene. C.  always recessive. D.  the
main factor determining a trait. E.  always one of a pair.
____ 32. The ABO blood type gene is an example of ___________, which means that heterozygotes display
two phenotypes at the same time.
A.  advanced hybridism B.  fading C.  incomplete dominance D.  codominance
E.  cross-fertilization
____ 33. In DNA, cytosine bonds to guanine. In RNA, cytosine bonds to
A.  thymine. B.  cytosine. C.  uracil. D.  guanine. E.  adenine.
____ 34. tRNA molecules are composed of
A.  DNA. B.  nucleotides. C.  amino acids D.  polypeptides. E.  lipids.
____ 35. Mendel correctly surmised that the 3 dominant:1 recessive phenotypic ratio seen in the F2 generation
pea plants was due to
A.  a tendency to have more fertilization events yielding homozygous dominant than homozygous
recessive. B.  homozygosity. C.  genotypic selection. D.  random combination of sperm and egg
with respect to the allele carried. E.  certain phenotypes having a selective advantage.

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Name: ______________________ ID: A

Matching

Match the following with the correct descriptive term.

A. phenotype
B. recessive phenotype
C. homozygous
D. heterozygous
E. alleles
F. gene
G. dominant allele
____ 36. LL
____ 37. Ll
____ 38. Determines plant height
____ 39. L and l
____ 40. Long-stemmed plant

Match the following descriptive terms with DNA, RNA, or both

A. DNA
B. RNA
C. both DNA and RNA
____ 41. Carries the genetic information to the ribosome
____ 42. Can exit the nucleus
____ 43. Contains the base uracil
____ 44. Has a sugar-phosphate backbone
____ 45. Is usually double-stranded
____ 46. Has one strand that serves as a template during transcription

Match the following codons with their corresponding amino acid.

A. arg
B. stop
C. met/start
D. asn
E. val
____ 47. UAA
____ 48. AAU
____ 49. AGG
____ 50. AUG
____ 51. GUU

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Name: ______________________ ID: A

Match the following terms with their characteristics.

A. building block of DNA
B. joins nucleotides during DNA replication
C. molecule associated with RNA
D. cytosine, guanine, adenine, and thymine
E. spool of protein associated with DNA
____ 52. Nucleotide
____ 53. Histone
____ 54. DNA polymerase
____ 55. Bases of DNA

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Genetics practice test [Answer Strip] ID: A

A
_____ 12. C
_____ 25.

D
_____ 13. A
_____ 26.

A
_____ 14.
B
_____ 1. A
_____ 52.
A
_____ 27.
A
_____ 15. E
_____ 53.
B
_____ 54.
C C
_____ 28.
_____ 2. D
_____ 55.
C
_____ 36.
B
_____ 16.
E
_____ 29. D
_____ 37.
F
_____ 38.
A
_____ 3. E
_____ 17. E
_____ 39.
E
_____ 30. A
_____ 40.

D
_____ 4. C
_____ 18.
B
_____ 31.
B
_____ 19.
B
_____ 41.
E
_____ 5. D
_____ 32. B
_____ 42.
B
_____ 43.
D
_____ 20. C
_____ 44.
A
_____ 45.
D
_____ 33. A
_____ 46.
B
_____ 6.
B
_____ 34.
A
_____ 7.
C
_____ 21.
D
_____ 35.
D
_____ 8.
C
_____ 22.
B
_____ 47.
D
_____ 48.
B
_____ 23. A
_____ 49.
C
_____ 9. C
_____ 50.
E
_____ 51.
C
_____ 10. E
_____ 24.

C
_____ 11.