A Large Family Exhibits a Previously Undiscovered Trait: Green Hair

question 21

Essay

A large family exhibits a previously undiscovered trait: green hair. One parent has the trait as do 6 of their 12 children (50%). (a) Satisfy yourself that this result could be produced by either one of two situations: Green hair is caused by a dominant allele, and the green-haired parent has one copy of that allele; OR green hair is a recessive trait; the green-haired parent is homozygous and the other parent is heterozygous. (b) How might we determine which one of these possibilities is true?

---

Definitions:

Wheat

A cereal grain which is a worldwide staple food, used for making breads, pastas, and other food products.

Certainty

Refers to the assurance or confidence in the truth or occurrence of something without doubt.

Fixed Amount

A specific sum of money that does not change over time or with use, often referring to payments or charges.

Payable

Refers to an amount of money that is owed and should be paid, often within a specific period of time.