Difference Between Acquired and Inherited Traits

The following table lists the differences between acquired and inherited traits:

Acquired Traits

Inherited Traits

Traits or characteristics which are influenced by environmental factors and cannot be inherited.

Characteristic feature that are inherited from previous generation.

Cannot pass on from one generation to another.

Pass on from one generation to another.

Do not take part in evolution.

Take part in evolution.

No change in genes or DNA is involved.

Occurs due to change in genes or DNA.

Ex: Acquiring knowledge, loss of weight.

Ex: color of eyes, skin color.

Inherited Traits

Inherited Trait is a fundamental concept in genetics that explains how genes are passed from parents to offspring. Genes are the instruction that tells our bodies how to grow and develop properly and, to an extent, determine what we exhibit. Inherited traits are responsible for shaping the biological identity of an individual. These are the characters that are passed down from one generation to the next generation. This article explores the concept of inherited traits with the help of Mendel’s experiment and its applications in the field of genetics.

Table of Content

  • What are Inherited Traits?
  • Examples of Inherited Traits
  • Types of Inherited Traits
  • How do Traits Get Expressed?
  • What are Acquired Traits?
  • Difference Between Acquired and Inherited Traits
  • Rules for the Inheritance of Traits Mendel’s Contribution

Similar Reads

What are Inherited Traits?

Inherited traits are the traits that are transmitted by the parents to their offspring during the process of fertilization. For if the parents have brown and black eyes, then the offspring may inherit a brown or black or a combination of both. Inherited traits are controlled by genes and the complete set of genes within an organism’s genome is called its genotype....

Examples of Inherited Traits

Some examples of inherited traits from parents are:...

Types of Inherited Traits

There are two types of inherited traits. This depends on the dominance or recessive nature of the trait. In case the copies are not identical to each other, the characteristics or the trait, which is expressed phenotypically is referred to as dominant trait while the other is referred as recessive trait....

How do Traits Get Expressed?

The DNA present in the cell is responsible for making the proteins. The section of this DNA is known as a gene. These are responsible for the expression of a trait. The genes are present in the chromosomes and depend on the type of gene of the organism it can be expressed as a visible trait. Heritable traits are passed down through DNA that is transferred from the parent to the offspring. Humans, and many animals, have two copies of each chromosomes, called diploid. During the production of gametes, or sex cells, the genetic information is divided in half and only one copy of each chromosomes is packaged into the sex cells....

What are Acquired Traits?

Acquired traits are the characters which are acquired by an organism over the period of its lifetime. They do not get transferred to the next generation. e.g. loss of muscles, loss of weight etc. An acquired trait is the character developed in an individual as a result of environmental influence. These traits are not coded by the DNA of a living organism and therefore cannot be passed on to future generations....

Difference Between Acquired and Inherited Traits

The following table lists the differences between acquired and inherited traits:...

Rules for the Inheritance of Traits Mendel’s Contribution

Gregor Johann Mendel, often referred to as the ‘Father of Genetics’ has framed laws of inheritance. He had used pea plants for his experiments which are easy to grow and have greater number of visible characteristics like tall/dwarf, white/violet, wrinkled seeds....

Conclusion – Inherited Traits

Inherited traits are a proof to the continuity of life and the interconnectedness of generations. The study of genetics has allowed us to find the mysteries encoded in our DNA, offering insights into our physical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics. Mendel concluded that traits were not blended but remained distinct in subsequent generations, which was contrary to scientific opinion at the time. Mendel didn’t know about genes or discover genes, but he did speculate that there were 2 factors for each basic trait and that 1 factor was inherited from each parent....

FAQs on Inherited Traits

What Determines the Inherited Traits of an Organism?...