Mendelian genetics explains how traits are passed from parents to... Show more
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12/6/2025
Biology
Mendelian Genetics
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Dec 6, 2025
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Understanding Mendel's Laws of Genetics
B
Breanna
@breanna_vcqc
1 / 3
Mendelian Genetics Fundamentals
Ever wondered why you have your mom's eyes but your dad's smile? It all comes down to alleles, which are different forms of the same gene. When we talk about traits, we're referring to two things: your phenotype (the physical trait you can see, like hitchhiker's thumb) and your genotype (your actual genetic makeup).
Genes can be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele will always show up in your appearance if present, while recessive traits only appear when there's no dominant allele to overshadow them. Your genes can be homozygous (two identical alleles, like AA or aa) or heterozygous (two different alleles, like Aa).
Cell division plays a crucial role in genetics. Mitosis creates identical daughter cells with complete genetic material (diploid), while meiosis creates four cells with half the genetic material (haploid) - this is how sperm and egg cells are made. Remember that your DNA makes up chromosomes, which contain genes that determine your traits.
💡 Think of dominant and recessive alleles like this: if dominance is a loud voice and recessive is a whisper, you'll only hear the whisper when there's no loud voice present!
Mendel's Laws and Punnett Squares
You inherit genetic information in a predictable way - one allele from each parent for every trait. These combined alleles determine both what genes you carry and how those traits appear in you.
Mendel, often called the father of genetics, established three fundamental laws. The Law of Segregation means that the two alleles for each trait separate during gamete formation. The Law of Independent Assortment states that genes for different traits are inherited independently. The Law of Dominance explains why some traits show up while others remain hidden.
Punnett squares are genetic tools that help predict offspring possibilities. The outside represents the possible gametes from each parent, while the inside shows potential combinations in their children. For example, if we cross a heterozygous green pea plant (Gg) with another heterozygous plant (Gg), we can predict that 75% of offspring will have green pods and 25% will have yellow pods.
🧬 Punnett squares are like genetic fortune-tellers! They can't tell you exactly what traits a specific child will have, but they accurately predict the probabilities across many offspring.
Patterns of Human Inheritance
Genetics isn't always as simple as dominant versus recessive. In incomplete dominance, neither allele completely wins, resulting in a blended trait - like red and white flowers producing pink offspring. With co-dominance, both alleles are fully expressed simultaneously, as in AB blood type where both A and B are visible.
Sex-linked traits add another layer of complexity. These traits are carried on sex chromosomes (X or Y), which is why conditions like color-blindness affect more males than females. Males only have one X chromosome, so recessive traits on that chromosome aren't masked like they often are in females.
Polygenic traits are controlled by multiple genes working together. This explains why traits like height, skin color, and intelligence follow a continuous range rather than distinct categories. These traits typically show a bell curve distribution in populations.
⚡ Quick tip: When trying to determine inheritance patterns, look at family trees across multiple generations. Patterns like skipping generations or affecting mostly males can give clues about the type of inheritance!
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Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
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Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Understanding Mendel's Laws of Genetics
B
Breanna
@breanna_vcqc
Mendelian genetics explains how traits are passed from parents to offspring through genes. Understanding these principles helps us make sense of why we inherit certain characteristics like eye color, blood type, or height from our family members.
Mendelian Genetics Fundamentals
Ever wondered why you have your mom's eyes but your dad's smile? It all comes down to alleles, which are different forms of the same gene. When we talk about traits, we're referring to two things: your phenotype (the physical trait you can see, like hitchhiker's thumb) and your genotype (your actual genetic makeup).
Genes can be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele will always show up in your appearance if present, while recessive traits only appear when there's no dominant allele to overshadow them. Your genes can be homozygous (two identical alleles, like AA or aa) or heterozygous (two different alleles, like Aa).
Cell division plays a crucial role in genetics. Mitosis creates identical daughter cells with complete genetic material (diploid), while meiosis creates four cells with half the genetic material (haploid) - this is how sperm and egg cells are made. Remember that your DNA makes up chromosomes, which contain genes that determine your traits.
💡 Think of dominant and recessive alleles like this: if dominance is a loud voice and recessive is a whisper, you'll only hear the whisper when there's no loud voice present!
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Mendel's Laws and Punnett Squares
You inherit genetic information in a predictable way - one allele from each parent for every trait. These combined alleles determine both what genes you carry and how those traits appear in you.
Mendel, often called the father of genetics, established three fundamental laws. The Law of Segregation means that the two alleles for each trait separate during gamete formation. The Law of Independent Assortment states that genes for different traits are inherited independently. The Law of Dominance explains why some traits show up while others remain hidden.
Punnett squares are genetic tools that help predict offspring possibilities. The outside represents the possible gametes from each parent, while the inside shows potential combinations in their children. For example, if we cross a heterozygous green pea plant (Gg) with another heterozygous plant (Gg), we can predict that 75% of offspring will have green pods and 25% will have yellow pods.
🧬 Punnett squares are like genetic fortune-tellers! They can't tell you exactly what traits a specific child will have, but they accurately predict the probabilities across many offspring.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
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Patterns of Human Inheritance
Genetics isn't always as simple as dominant versus recessive. In incomplete dominance, neither allele completely wins, resulting in a blended trait - like red and white flowers producing pink offspring. With co-dominance, both alleles are fully expressed simultaneously, as in AB blood type where both A and B are visible.
Sex-linked traits add another layer of complexity. These traits are carried on sex chromosomes (X or Y), which is why conditions like color-blindness affect more males than females. Males only have one X chromosome, so recessive traits on that chromosome aren't masked like they often are in females.
Polygenic traits are controlled by multiple genes working together. This explains why traits like height, skin color, and intelligence follow a continuous range rather than distinct categories. These traits typically show a bell curve distribution in populations.
⚡ Quick tip: When trying to determine inheritance patterns, look at family trees across multiple generations. Patterns like skipping generations or affecting mostly males can give clues about the type of inheritance!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Mendelian Genetics
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user