Spongebob Punnett Square Worksheet Answer Key

Understanding Genetics with Spongebob: A Punnett Square Tutorial

Genetics is a fascinating field that helps us understand how traits are passed down from one generation to the next. In this tutorial, we’ll use the beloved characters from Spongebob Squarepants to learn about Punnett squares and how they’re used to predict the probability of certain traits being expressed.

What is a Punnett Square?

A Punnett square is a graphical representation of the possible genotypes that can result from a cross between two parents. It’s a simple, yet powerful tool that helps us predict the probability of certain traits being expressed in offspring.

The Genetics of Spongebob’s Square Pants

Let’s say we want to know the probability of Spongebob’s offspring inheriting his square pants. We’ll use a Punnett square to figure this out.

Step 1: Determine the Genotype of the Parents

Spongebob’s square pants are caused by a dominant allele (let’s call it “S”). His genotype is SS, meaning he’s homozygous dominant for the trait. We’ll represent this using the letter “S”.

The other parent, let’s say Sandy Cheeks, has a genotype of ss, meaning she’s homozygous recessive for the trait. We’ll represent this using the letter “s”.

Step 2: Create the Punnett Square

Here’s the Punnett square for this cross:

  | S | s
---------
S | SS | Ss
s | sS | ss

Step 3: Fill in the Possible Genotypes

Now, we’ll fill in the possible genotypes of the offspring. Each box in the Punnett square represents a possible combination of alleles that the offspring can inherit.

  | S | s
---------
S | SS | Ss
s | sS | ss

Step 4: Determine the Probability of Each Genotype

Now, we’ll determine the probability of each genotype. Since each allele has an equal chance of being inherited, we can calculate the probability of each genotype by counting the number of times it appears in the Punnett square.

• SS: 25% (1 out of 4 possible genotypes)
• Ss: 50% (2 out of 4 possible genotypes)
• ss: 25% (1 out of 4 possible genotypes)

What Does it All Mean?

So, what does this mean for Spongebob’s offspring? Based on the Punnett square, we can see that:

• 25% of the offspring will have the genotype SS and express the square pants trait
• 50% of the offspring will have the genotype Ss and express the square pants trait (since S is dominant)
• 25% of the offspring will have the genotype ss and not express the square pants trait

Answer Key:

1. What is the genotype of Spongebob? Answer: SS
2. What is the genotype of Sandy Cheeks? Answer: ss
3. What is the probability of the offspring inheriting the square pants trait? Answer: 75% (25% SS + 50% Ss)
4. What is the probability of the offspring not inheriting the square pants trait? Answer: 25% (ss genotype)

Notes:

• In this example, we assumed that the square pants trait is caused by a single dominant allele. In reality, many traits are influenced by multiple genes and are more complex.
• Punnett squares are a simple and powerful tool for predicting the probability of certain traits being expressed, but they’re limited to simple Mendelian inheritance patterns.

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