In the coin sex lab, we flipped coins to determine alleles for a sample set, then analyzed the data and answered some questions. We were expecting to receive 5 heterozygous and 5 homozygous for every 10 coins flipped, because there was a 50% chance of receiving either one. As it turns out, we didn’t get 50% of both because on our first set of flips, we got 6 females and 4 males rather than 5 females and 5 males.
The limit of using probability to predict the offspring’s trait is the amount of tests that we conduct. If we do 10 flips, but we get 9 females and 1 male, that’s not very accurate. If we do 40 more, maybe we will get around 25 males and 15 females, making the scales a bit more balanced. Some gene interactions are x-linked, so even if we get more females sometimes, the males are the only ones that can receive the traits.
This lab relates to my life because knowing my mom and dad’s traits could help me determine what mine could be, or maybe a future sibling(probably not).
