Skip to main content
Chapter 5 of 5
Flashcards

Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Punjab Board · Class 12 · Biology

Flashcards for Molecular Basis of Inheritance — Punjab Board Class 12 Biology. Quick Q&A cards covering key concepts, definitions, and formulas.

45 questions33 flashcards5 concepts

Interactive on Super Tutor

Studying Molecular Basis of Inheritance? Get the full interactive chapter.

Quizzes, flashcards, AI doubt-solver and a step-by-step study plan — built for flashcards and more.

1,000+ Class 12 students started this chapter today

A detailed labeled diagram showing the components of a DNA nucleotide: a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and one of the four nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, or Thymine). Emphasize
Super Tutor

Super Tutor has 22+ illustrations like this for Molecular Basis of Inheritance alone — flashcards, concept maps, and step-by-step visuals.

See them all
33 Flashcards
Card 1DNA Structure and Components

What is a nucleotide and what are its three main components?

Answer

A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids. Its three main components are: (1) A nitrogenous base (either purine: Adenine/Guanine, or pyrimidine: Cytosine/Thymine/Uracil), (2) A pentose

Card 2DNA Double Helix Structure

What does the double helix structure of DNA look like and what are its five salient features?

Answer

The DNA double helix is a twisted ladder-like structure. Its five salient features are: (1) Made of two polynucleotide chains with sugar-phosphate backbones and bases projecting inward, (2) The two ch

Card 3DNA Base Pairing and Complementarity

Why does the distance between two polynucleotide chains in DNA remain almost constant?

Answer

The distance between the two polynucleotide chains remains approximately constant (~1.1 nm) because of Chargaff's rule and base pairing specificity. Purines (Adenine and Guanine) are larger, two-ringe

Card 4DNA Packaging and Chromatin Organization

How is DNA packaged into the nucleus when the DNA length far exceeds the nuclear dimensions?

Answer

DNA is packaged through a hierarchical process: (1) DNA wraps around histone octamers (8 histone proteins rich in lysine and arginine) to form nucleosomes, each containing ~200 bp of DNA, (2) Nucleoso

Card 5Search for Genetic Material

What was Griffith's 'Transforming Principle' experiment and what did it demonstrate?

Answer

In 1928, Frederick Griffith worked with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. He observed that: (1) S strain (smooth, with mucous coat) was virulent; R strain (rough, no coat) was non-virulent, (2) Heat-

Card 6Search for Genetic Material

How did Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty prove that DNA is the transforming principle?

Answer

Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty (1933-44) purified different biochemicals (proteins, DNA, RNA, etc.) from heat-killed S strain cells and tested which could transform R strain to S strain. They found that:

Card 7Search for Genetic Material

Describe the Hershey-Chase experiment and explain how it proved DNA is the genetic material.

Answer

Hershey and Chase (1952) worked with bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). Their methodology: (1) Grew viruses in medium with radioactive phosphorus (³²P) - incorporated into DNA but not prot

Card 8DNA versus RNA as Genetic Material

What are the key chemical differences between DNA and RNA, and why does this make DNA a better genetic material?

Answer

Key chemical differences: (1) DNA contains deoxyribose sugar; RNA contains ribose sugar, (2) DNA has thymine; RNA has uracil in its place, (3) DNA is usually double-stranded; RNA is usually single-str

+25 more flashcards available

Practice All

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Molecular Basis of Inheritance for Punjab Board Class 12 Biology?
Key topics in Molecular Basis of Inheritance include Central Dogma and Gene Expression Pathway, Molecular Basis of Inheritance – Chapter Overview, Molecular Basis of Inheritance — Complete Chapter Overview. These are the concepts Punjab Board Class 12 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in Molecular Basis of Inheritance — Punjab Board Class 12 Biology?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 45 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.
How many flashcards are available for Molecular Basis of Inheritance?
There are 33 flashcards for Molecular Basis of Inheritance covering key definitions, formulas, and concepts. Use them daily for 10–15 minutes for best results.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

For serious students

Get the full Molecular Basis of Inheritance chapter — for free.

Quizzes, flashcards, AI doubt-solver and a step-by-step study plan for Punjab Board Class 12 Biology.