3D Mendelian Genetics Simulation

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Experiment

Mission: cross two purple-flower hybrid plants and compare observed offspring with the 3:1 prediction.

Parent alleles

Parent A

Parent B

Offspring sample16

Live results

Dominant flowers0

Recessive flowers0

Expected ratio3 : 1

Selected genotypeNone

Tap a plant, chromosome, gamete, or Punnett cell to focus it.

Each parent passes one allele. P is dominant, so PP and Pp make purple flowers; only pp makes white flowers.

Probability graph

DominantRecessive

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Interactive Mendelian genetics lecture

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Capital PPDominant purple allele

Small ppRecessive white allele

Every offspring receives one letter from each parent.

What to watch:

Lecture chapters

Learning objectives

Distinguish genes, alleles, genotypes, and phenotypes.
Model allele separation during gamete formation.
Use a Punnett square to predict offspring probabilities.
Explain dominance without calling one allele stronger.
Compare predicted probability with a finite sample.

Key concepts

Organisms carry two alleles for each modeled gene, one inherited from each parent. During gamete formation, the pair separates, so each gamete receives one allele. Fertilization restores a pair.

P is used here for a purple-flower allele and p for a white-flower allele. PP and Pp are purple because P is dominant; pp is white.

Suggested experiments

Cross Pp × Pp and increase the sample from 4 to 64.
Cross PP × pp and explain why every offspring is Pp.
Use Pp × pp as a test cross and look for a 1:1 pattern.
Repeat four-offspring families and compare each small family.

Questions and applications

Why can two purple-flower plants produce white-flower offspring? Why does a probability of 25% not guarantee one white flower in every four offspring?

Inheritance predictions support plant breeding, animal breeding, and genetic counseling, though many real traits involve several genes and environmental effects.

Common misconceptions

Dominant does not mean common, better, or stronger. A 3:1 ratio is a long-run expectation, not a fixed order. Offspring do not blend alleles; they inherit discrete copies.

Mendelian genetics quiz

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