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Monohybrid inheritance: exam questions

7 questions, 27 marks. Write your answers on paper, then open each mark scheme.

Question 1

Which genotype is heterozygous?

  1. TT
  2. Tt
  3. tt
  4. T
[1 mark]
Show mark scheme for question 1

Answer: B (Tt) (1)

Question 2

(a) Define the term genotype. [1] (b) Define the term phenotype. [1] (c) Two tall pea plants, both with genotype TT, are crossed. Explain why all their offspring will also be tall. [1]

[3 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 2
  • (a) the genetic make-up of an organism / the alleles present (1)
  • (b) the observable features of an organism (1)
  • (c) both parents are homozygous / can only make T gametes, so all offspring are TT / pure-breeding (1)

Question 3

The table gives information from a pedigree diagram for one family. The condition is controlled by one gene. The allele for the condition is d and the other allele is D. Persons 1 and 2 are the parents of persons 3 and 4. (a) State whether the allele for the condition is dominant or recessive. Explain your answer. [2] (b) State the genotypes of persons 1 and 2. [1] (c) State the genotype of person 3. [1] (d) Give the probability that a third child of persons 1 and 2 will have the condition. [1]

Information from the pedigree diagram
PersonSexRelationshipHas the condition
1malefatherno
2femalemotherno
3femaledaughter of 1 and 2yes
4maleson of 1 and 2no
[5 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 3
  • (a) recessive (1) reject dominant
  • parents 1 and 2 do not have the condition but their daughter / person 3 does (1) allow the parents carry the allele without showing it
  • (b) Dd and Dd (1) both needed
  • (c) dd (1)
  • (d) 1 in 4 / 25% / 0.25 (1) allow 1/4

Question 4

In guinea pigs, black fur (B) is dominant to brown fur (b). A heterozygous black guinea pig is crossed with a brown guinea pig. (a) State the gametes produced by each parent. [1] (b) Complete a Punnett square to show the genotypes of the offspring. [1] (c) State the phenotypic ratio of the offspring. [1] (d) Give the percentage of the offspring expected to be brown. [1]

[4 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 4
  • (a) heterozygous parent: B and b; brown parent: b (only) (1)
  • (b) Bb, Bb, bb, bb (1)
  • (c) 1 black : 1 brown (1) allow 1 : 1
  • (d) 50% (1)

Question 5

Supplement (what this means)Supplement: only for the Extended papers (2 and 4). Core students can skip it. What the labels mean

A farmer has a tall pea plant. Tall (T) is dominant to short (t). The farmer does a test cross to find the genotype of the tall plant. (a) State the genotype of the plant that should be crossed with the tall plant. [1] (b) Describe the offspring expected if the tall plant is TT. [1] (c) Describe the offspring expected if the tall plant is Tt. [1] (d) Suggest why the farmer should produce many offspring. [1]

[4 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 5
  • (a) tt (1)
  • (b) all tall (1)
  • (c) about half tall and about half short (1) allow 1 : 1
  • (d) a small number could all be tall by chance even if the plant is Tt / a larger number is more reliable (1)

Question 6

Supplement (what this means)Supplement: only for the Extended papers (2 and 4). Core students can skip it. What the labels mean

A mother has blood group A and genotype IA Io. A father has blood group B and genotype IB Io. (a) Define the term codominance. [1] (b) Draw a Punnett square to show the possible genotypes of their children. [2] (c) State the probability that a child will have blood group O. [1] (d) State the blood group of a person with genotype IA IB. [1]

[5 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 6
  • (a) both alleles in a heterozygous organism contribute to the phenotype (1) allow both alleles are expressed in the heterozygote
  • (b) gametes IA, Io and IB, Io correctly placed (1)
  • offspring IA IB, IA Io, IB Io, Io Io (1)
  • (c) 1 in 4 / 25% / 0.25 (1)
  • (d) AB (1)

Question 7

Supplement (what this means)Supplement: only for the Extended papers (2 and 4). Core students can skip it. What the labels mean

Red-green colour blindness is caused by a recessive allele on the X chromosome. XB is the normal allele and Xb is the colour blindness allele. A woman who is a carrier has children with a man who has normal colour vision. (a) State what is meant by a sex-linked characteristic. [1] (b) Explain why colour blindness is more common in males than in females. [2] (c) State the genotypes of the offspring of these parents. [1] (d) Give the probability that a son of these parents is colour blind. [1]

[5 marks]
Show mark scheme for question 7
  • (a) the gene (responsible) is located on a sex chromosome (1) allow on the X chromosome
  • (b) males have only one X chromosome / the Y has no matching allele, so one recessive allele causes colour blindness (1)
  • females need two recessive alleles / would be carriers with one (1)
  • (c) XB XB, XB Xb, XB Y, Xb Y (1) all four needed
  • (d) 1 in 2 / 50% (1)