Table of contents

1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
2. Chemistry3h 37m
3. Water1h 26m
4. Biomolecules2h 23m
5. Cell Components2h 26m
6. The Membrane2h 31m
7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
8. Respiration2h 40m
9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
10. Cell Signaling59m
11. Cell Division2h 47m
12. Meiosis2h 0m
13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
15. Gene Expression3h 6m
16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
17. Viruses37m
- Viruses
  37m
18. Biotechnology2h 58m
19. Genomics17m
- Genomes
  17m
20. Development1h 5m
21. Evolution3h 1m
22. Evolution of Populations3h 53m
23. Speciation1h 37m
24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
25. Phylogeny2h 31m
26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
27. Protists1h 12m
28. Plants1h 22m
29. Fungi36m
- Fungi
  19m
- Fungi Reproduction
  17m
30. Overview of Animals34m
- Overview of Animals
  34m
31. Invertebrates1h 2m
32. Vertebrates50m
33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- Water Potential
  1h 2m
35. Soil37m
- Soil and Nutrients
  20m
- Nitrogen Fixation
  16m
36. Plant Reproduction47m
- Flowers
  33m
- Seeds
  14m
37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
39. Digestive System1h 10m
- Digestion
  1h 3m
- Blood Sugar Homeostasis
  7m
40. Circulatory System1h 49m
41. Immune System1h 12m
42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- Osmoregulation and Excretion
  50m
43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- Endocrine System
  1h 4m
44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- Animal Reproduction
  1h 2m
45. Nervous System1h 55m
- Neurons and Action Potentials
  1h 8m
- Central and Peripheral Nervous System
  46m
46. Sensory Systems46m
- Sensory System
  46m
47. Muscle Systems23m
- Musculoskeletal System
  23m
48. Ecology3h 11m
49. Animal Behavior28m
- Animal Behavior
  28m
50. Population Ecology3h 41m
51. Community Ecology2h 46m
52. Ecosystems2h 36m
53. Conservation Biology24m
- Conservation Biology
  24m

13. Mendelian Genetics

Non-Mendelian Genetics

General Biology

13. Mendelian Genetics

Non-Mendelian Genetics

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3:08 minutes

Problem 4

Textbook Question

A quantitative trait ________.
a. May be one that is strongly influenced by the environment
b. Varies continuously in a population
c. May be influenced by many genes
d. Is not either off or on
e. All of the above

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the definition of a quantitative trait: A quantitative trait is a characteristic that shows continuous variation in a population and is typically influenced by multiple genes (polygenic inheritance) and environmental factors.

Analyze option (a): Determine if a quantitative trait can be strongly influenced by the environment. Recall that environmental factors often play a significant role in shaping quantitative traits, such as height or weight.

Analyze option (b): Check if a quantitative trait varies continuously in a population. Continuous variation means there are no distinct categories, and traits like skin color or height fall along a spectrum.

Analyze option (c): Evaluate if a quantitative trait may be influenced by many genes. Polygenic traits are controlled by multiple genes, each contributing a small effect to the overall phenotype.

Analyze option (d): Confirm if a quantitative trait is not either off or on. Unlike Mendelian traits (e.g., flower color being purple or white), quantitative traits do not have discrete states but instead show a range of values. Combine all the observations to determine if 'e. all of the above' is the correct answer.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Quantitative Traits

Quantitative traits are characteristics that exhibit a continuous range of variation within a population, such as height or weight. Unlike qualitative traits, which are typically categorical (e.g., flower color), quantitative traits are influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors, leading to a spectrum of phenotypes.

Polygenic Inheritance

Polygenic inheritance refers to the phenomenon where multiple genes contribute to a single trait. Each gene may have a small additive effect on the phenotype, resulting in the continuous variation observed in quantitative traits. This complexity makes it challenging to predict the exact phenotype based solely on genotype.

Environmental Influence

The environment plays a significant role in shaping quantitative traits, as external factors can affect the expression of genes. For instance, nutrition, climate, and social interactions can modify phenotypic outcomes, demonstrating that traits are not solely determined by genetics but are also a product of environmental interactions.

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Multiple Choice

A single genetic locus that controls more than one trait is said to be __________.

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In people with sickle-cell disease, red blood cells break down, clump, and clog the blood vessels. The blood vessels and the broken cells accumulate in the spleen. These events lead to physical weakness, heart failure, joint pain, and brain damage. Such a suite of symptoms can be explained by __________.

Is a round yellow pea seed (genotype RrYy) an example of polygenic inheritance? Why or why not?

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Textbook Question

What factors cause quantitative variation in a trait within a population?

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Textbook Question

When graphing the phenotypes of a trait controlled by many genes and the environment, the line showing the frequency of each phenotype resembles ________.

a. A horizontal, straight line

b. A vertical, straight line

c. The letter T

d. A bell shape

e. A circle

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Textbook Question

Skin color in humans is at least partially hereditary; dark-skinned parents tend to have dark-skinned children. But humans come in a range of skin tones. Which extension of Mendel's model accounts for the hereditary variation in human skin color?

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Multiple Choice