Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Caroline B.
Date: 3/11/11
Mutations Justified True or False
Statement
True or False
1. Environmental factors can
lead to variations between
related organisms.
True
2. Mutations can be caused by
environmental factors, like
chemicals and sunlight.
3. Environmental factors
cannot alter genes.
True
4. Altered genes cannot be
passed on to offspring.
False
5. Mutations occur when the
genes in DNA are changed
and then passed on.
False
6. Altered genes that are
True
False
passed on to offspring can
cause the traits of
generations to be
different.
7. Some mutations are not
passed on to offspring.
True
Justify why you chose T or F
Yes, because we learned in the 4
PowerPoint’s that chemicals and
smoke from buildings can cause,
just like the birch trees, changes
in the organisms. And the
chemicals can also change genes
inside the organism.
I know this because Mr.
Bormann told us to put it in our
notes.
The environment can alter
genes, because if there is a
mutation in the gene; it could
have been caused by a couple of
things and one of them is by
chemicals.
Yes they can because if the
mutation in the gene is changed
in the sperm or the egg.
They don’t need to be passed for
a mutation to occur. Unless the
organism is the first to have the
mutated gene. Then in order to
see the mutation the organism
must have an offspring. But still
then the mutation might not be
seen.
It can cause generations to be
different because if that
offspring were to have
offspring’s of it’s own, those
babies could have the altered
genes. Then if that offspring
were to have offspring, those
babies could have the altered
gene.
The mutation not be passed on
because
1. Gene “masks” the
mutation.
2. Parent passes non-
Learning from the Fossil Record
Grade 8 Science
Name: Caroline B.
Date: 3/11/11
mutated gene.
3. Does not affect sperm or
egg cells.
8. Mutations always create a
disadvantage for
offspring.
False
9. The environment plays a
role in determining if a
mutation is an advantage
or a disadvantage.
True
10. All changes in traits are
due to mutations.
False
Sometimes it could be an
advantage. Just like the giraffe,
and how the mutation allowed
him to eat the leaves up high,
and not fight with the other
short, necked giraffes.
This is because If a whale, a long
time ago, didn’t have flippers,
and then he suddenly did. It
would depend if he lived near a
huge body of water for it to be
an advantage. Because then he is
one of the only ones who can
swim to get food unlike the
others who have to fight for it on
land. But if he didn’t live near
water it would be a disadvantage
because he wouldn’t have hands
to grab its food.
This is false because if two
organisms have the dominant
trait showing and the other trait
is recessive, and they cross, their
offspring can show the recessive
trait.