Class 12 Biology – Principles of Inheritance &
Variation
20 Competency-Based Questions with Answers
Q1. A woman with blood group ‘O’ marries a man with blood group ‘AB’. Predict the possible
blood groups of their children.
Ans: Mother = ii, Father = IAIB. Offspring = IAi (Group A), IBi (Group B). Children can be A or B
only.
Q2. In a dihybrid cross, F2 ratio deviates from 9:3:3:1 and shows more parental
combinations. Why?
Ans: Due to linkage of genes. Crossing over is incomplete, giving more parental and fewer
recombinants.
Q3. A colourblind father and a normal mother have a son and a daughter. Predict their
phenotypes.
Ans: Father XcY, Mother XX. Sons: XY (normal). Daughters: XcX (carrier).
Q4. In a population, frequency of allele A=0.6, a=0.4. Find genotype frequencies
(Hardy-Weinberg principle).
Ans: p²=0.36 (AA), 2pq=0.48 (Aa), q²=0.16 (aa). Genotypes = 36% AA, 48% Aa, 16% aa.
Q5. Why are males more often affected by sex-linked disorders than females?
Ans: Males have one X chromosome; a single defective allele expresses the trait. Examples:
haemophilia, colour blindness.
Q6. Cross Tt × tt. Find phenotypic ratio.
Ans: Offspring: 2 Tt, 2 tt. Ratio = 1 Tall : 1 Dwarf.
Q7. A husband blames wife for not producing son. Justify with genetics.
Ans: Sex depends on sperm (X or Y). Woman always contributes X. Husband determines sex of
child.
Q8. In maize, kernel colour is polygenic. What is phenotypic ratio in F2?
Ans: Controlled by 3 genes. Ratio = 1:6:15:20:15:6:1.
Q9. Mendel’s dihybrid cross produced 9:3:3:1 ratio. Which law is illustrated?
Ans: Law of Independent Assortment – alleles assort independently during gamete formation.
Q10. A normal man marries haemophilia carrier woman. Probability of haemophilic children?
Ans: 25% haemophilic (only sons), 25% carriers (daughters).
Q11. If a trait shows continuous variation like height, which type of inheritance is this?
Ans: Polygenic inheritance – controlled by multiple genes, shows additive effect.
Q12. Why do linked genes not follow Mendel’s independent assortment law?
Ans: They are located close on the same chromosome and are inherited together unless crossing
over separates them.
Q13. A man with heterozygous sickle cell trait marries a normal woman. Probability of
disease in children?
Ans: Cross: AS × AA. Offspring = 50% AS (carriers), 50% AA (normal). No SS disease child.
Q14. Which genetic principle explains that alleles separate during gamete formation?
Ans: Mendel’s Law of Segregation.
Q15. In humans, widow’s peak is dominant (W). A heterozygous man marries a woman with
no peak (ww). Probability of offspring with peak?
Ans: Ww × ww → 50% Ww (peak), 50% ww (no peak).
Q16. Why is haemophilia more common in males but rare in females?
Ans: X-linked recessive. Females need 2 defective alleles, males need only 1 defective allele.
Q17. A plant heterozygous for flower colour (Rr) is selfed. Draw ratio of red:white flowers.
Ans: Rr × Rr → 1 RR:2 Rr:1 rr. Phenotype = 3 Red : 1 White.
Q18. A couple with normal phenotype had a child with cystic fibrosis (recessive disorder).
Explain genetics.
Ans: Both parents are carriers (heterozygous). Cross gives 25% chance of affected child.
Q19. Why do some alleles show incomplete dominance? Example?
Ans: Neither allele completely dominates. F1 shows intermediate phenotype. Example:
Snapdragon (RR red × rr white = Rr pink).
Q20. In a pedigree chart, trait skips generations but reappears later. What kind of inheritance
is this?
Ans: Autosomal recessive inheritance.