Traits from genes, traits from surroundings, and traits from both
Grade 7 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Esme reads Chart A and Chart B. What do the two charts together show about the causes of these traits?
- Genes set the seed shape; fertilizer changed the cuttings' genes
- Genes set both traits, since both are traits
- The soil set the seed shape; the genes set the cutting height
- Genes set seed shape; fertilizer changed cutting height
Using both charts, Jun wants round seeds and tall cuttings. Which plan fits what the charts show?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Fertilize the peas to make seeds round, since soil sets shape
- Choose cuttings with tall genes, since fertilizer cannot matter
- Fertilize the peas, since fertilizer changes the seeds' genes
- Pick round-seed pea genes, and give the cuttings fertilizer
Kira compares what stays the same and what differs in Charts A and B. Which pair of statements is correct?
Use the picture in question 1.
- A: same genes, new surroundings. B: same surroundings, new genes
- A and B: same genes, so the traits must match
- A and B: new genes in each row, since the traits differ
- A: same surroundings, new genes. B: same genes, new surroundings
Luz claims that seeds from a hedge trimmed into a box shape will grow into box-shaped plants. Which response is best?
- No, trimming is a surrounding, so the shape is not in the genes
- No, because the hedge's shape is set by its genes, not trimming
- Yes, trimming changed the hedge's genes, which the seeds receive
- Yes, a shape gained in life is passed on to seeds
Milo says two piano players have a child who plays piano, so the skill must be in the genes. Which response is best?
- Yes; a skill the parents gained is passed on to the child
- Yes; practice by the parents changed the genes of the child
- Not necessarily; the child may have learned it by practice
- Yes; skills come from the genes, not from any practice
Noah's class grew mint cuttings: some from plant X in sun, some from plant Y in shade. The shade group was taller. Which statement about the test is best?
- Not fair; genes decide height, so light is not worth testing
- Not fair; the parent plants and the light both differ
- Fair; plants from different parents have the same genes
- Not fair; the sun changed the genes of the cuttings
Seeds from a tall sunflower grew short in poor soil. Ren reads the chart. Which explanation fits?
- Tall parents pass on height, so the chart must be wrong
- The shortness was learned from shorter plants nearby
- The poor soil changed the seeds' genes to short
- Poor soil limited growth; tall genes may still be there
A basil plant on a dim shelf grew tall and spindly. Tala plants seeds from that plant in bright light. The seedlings are shorter. Which explanation fits?
- Dim light stretched the parent; stretch is not inherited
- The seedlings have different genes, since they look different
- Bright light changed the seeds' genes to make them short
- The stretch is passed on, but bright light cancels it
Zee's class grew mint cuttings from one plant, with and without fertilizer. The fertilized group was taller. Which claim and reason fit?
- Nothing changed the height; same genes give the same look
- Fertilizer changed the height; the cuttings share genes
- Genes changed the height; the cuttings have different genes
- Fertilizer changed the genes; the cuttings now differ in genes
Bo's class compared mint cuttings from one plant given 100 mL or 50 mL of water a day. Which student explains the heights?
- Zee: water made the gap, since the cuttings share genes
- Jun: the genes made the gap, since height is a trait
- Ren: the water changed the genes of the short group
- Esme: the heights must match, since the genes are the same