10th Class Science Heredity and Evolution Heredity

       Heredity

The offspring reproduced by an organisms is similar to its parents in many respect. This similarity in the organism is due to the transmission of traits from one generation to the next. This transmission of traits form one generation to the next is called heredity. The study of the mode of transmission of traits from parents to their off springs is called genetics. It is actually the gene stretches of DNA which contains the coded information of the parents responsible for transmission of characters. Genes are the basic unit or the

functional unit of heredity. The genetic constitution of an individual organisms is called genotype, which determines the physical characteristics of an individual. The outer environment also affects the variation in an individual. This also leads to the development of new traits in an individual and are visible in the physical appearance, which is called its phenotype.