Coin Lab Relate and Review

In this lab, we explored genetics possibilities for a possible child between two students. Coins served as a model for the genetic concept of randomness, or the law of independent assortment. The coins also showed recombination, which is the rearrangement of genetic material, especially by crossing over in chromosomes or by the artificial joining of segments of DNA from different organisms. Recombination often occurs during meiosis. We first found the probability of getting certain alleles for different genes. Monohybrid crosses were a lot simpler to predict, especially if they were homozygous, because they did not rely on other factors, like diyhybrid crosses. In our autosomal experiment, were we crossed two double heterozygous alleles, we predicted that the the ratio of phenotypes would be 9:3:3:1. I claimed that the results would be very similar to what we predicted, but not the exact same because of the randomness of the experiment. Our results had the ratio 10:2:3:1, which supports my claim because it is very similar to what we predicted but slightly different due to the randomness of the experiment. In our X-linked inheritance experiment about colorblindness, we had similar results. There are some limitations while relying on probability. Probability can say what is possible, but it can not say what will happen in actuality. Also, sometimes there are too many possible combinations for punnet squares and/or other probability tools to be useful, such as predicting all the major alleles that will show up in a child. Lastly, like in this experiment, when a dominant allele showed up, we assumed it was heterozygous, but we did not know for sure, leaving out punnet squares and probability open to error. In real life, this could help me predict whether or not I have some genetic diseases or disorders. This would be helpful so I can detect them ahead of time and get treated a lot faster and better. Also, I were to have a child, it would help me to find ways to avoid having them inherit genetic diseases or disorders, or it would help me predict what my child would look like.