CLEP Biology

CLEP Biology covers fundamental concepts in biology, including cellular processes, genetics, evolution, and ecology, designed to help students earn college credit.

Basic Concepts

Genetics and Heredity

Passing Traits from One Generation to the Next

Genetics is the study of heredity, or how traits are passed from parents to offspring. The instructions for these traits are found in DNA, organized into genes.

The Role of DNA

DNA is shaped like a double helix and contains the code for making proteins. Each gene determines a specific trait, like eye color or blood type.

Mendelian Inheritance

Gregor Mendel discovered that traits follow certain patterns, now known as Mendelian genetics. He worked with pea plants and found that traits can be dominant or recessive.

  • Dominant alleles mask the effect of recessive alleles.
  • Genotype is the genetic makeup; phenotype is the physical appearance.

Real-World Connections

Understanding genetics helps us with medical research, agriculture, and even solving crimes through DNA analysis.

Examples

  • A child inherits brown eyes because the brown eye allele is dominant over blue.

  • Some plants are bred to resist disease using genetic knowledge.

In a Nutshell

Genetics explains how traits are inherited and why we look or act a certain way.