How do hereditary traits pass through sexual reproduction?

Hereditary traits pass through sexual reproduction via the combination of genetic material from both parents.

In sexual reproduction, two parents contribute genetic material to produce offspring. This process involves the fusion of male and female gametes, which are specialised cells carrying genetic information. Each gamete contains half the number of chromosomes of a normal cell, a condition known as haploid. When a male and female gamete fuse during fertilisation, they form a zygote with a complete set of chromosomes, a condition known as diploid.

The genetic material in these gametes comes from the parents' DNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms. It is composed of two strands coiled around each other to form a double helix, with each strand made up of a sequence of four different types of nucleotides. These nucleotides are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). The order of these nucleotides forms the genetic code, which determines the traits of an organism.

During the formation of gametes, a process called meiosis occurs. This is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in parent cells to half and produces four gamete cells. This process results in gametes with different combinations of chromosomes, leading to genetic variation in offspring.

The traits of the offspring are determined by the combination of genes they inherit from their parents. Genes are segments of DNA that carry the instructions for making proteins, the building blocks of the body. Each gene has a specific location on a chromosome and may exist in different forms, known as alleles. The combination of alleles an individual receives from their parents determines their traits. For example, eye colour is determined by the combination of alleles for eye colour inherited from the parents.

In summary, hereditary traits pass through sexual reproduction via the combination of genetic material from both parents, specifically through the fusion of male and female gametes during fertilisation. The genetic variation in offspring is a result of the process of meiosis and the combination of alleles they inherit.