AQA GCSE Biology — Inheritance and Evolution flashcards
10 of 74 cards free to study here · 1 topic · the whole deck is built into Willys
Topic 4.6 of AQA GCSE Biology: meiosis and reproduction, DNA and protein synthesis, genetic crosses and inherited disorders, variation, natural selection, selective breeding, genetic engineering, cloning, fossils, resistance and classification. Higher Tier and Biology-only cards are marked.
Learn deck · part of AQA GCSE Biology · written against: AQA GCSE Biology (8461) specification, version 1.0; Higher Tier and separate-science-only cards marked on the front. Updated 2026-10-10.
Study the free sample
10 cards from the deck as they are. Flip, rate yourself, filter by topic; your progress stays in this browser.
Tap the card or press Space to flip
The 10 sample cards as a list
-
Which type of cell division produces genetically non-identical cells?Meiosis.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Watch out: mitosis produces genetically identical cells; meiosis makes gametes. -
Which gametes fuse in sexual reproduction in flowering plants, and which in animals?Pollen and egg cells in flowering plants; sperm and egg cells in animals.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Watch out: AQA counts pollen as the male gamete; strictly, the pollen grain produces sperm cells, and one of them fuses with the egg. -
Why are the offspring of asexual reproduction genetically identical?There is only one parent and only mitosis is involved, so there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Example: the offspring are called clones. -
In meiosis, how many times does the cell divide, and how many gametes are produced?It divides twice, giving four gametes, and each gamete has just one set of chromosomes.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Why: the genetic information is copied first, and all four gametes are genetically different. -
Why must gametes contain only half the normal number of chromosomes?So that the full chromosome number is restored when two gametes fuse at fertilisation.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Example: a human sperm and egg each have 23 chromosomes, giving a zygote with 46. -
Why does the variation produced by sexual reproduction help a species if its environment changes? (not in Combined Science)Some individuals are likely to have characteristics that let them survive and reproduce, so the species survives by natural selection.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Example: humans can also speed up natural selection by selective breeding. -
Give three advantages of asexual reproduction. (not in Combined Science)Only one parent is needed, it is faster, and it saves time and energy because no mate has to be found.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Example: when conditions suit, large numbers of identical offspring build up quickly. -
How does the malarial parasite reproduce in each of its two hosts? (not in Combined Science)Asexually in the human host and sexually in the mosquito.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Why: some organisms switch between sexual and asexual reproduction as conditions demand. -
How do strawberry plants and daffodils reproduce asexually? (not in Combined Science)Strawberries by runners; daffodils by bulb division.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Why: both also produce seeds sexually, which gives variation. -
What is the overall structure of a DNA molecule?A polymer of two strands that coil around each other in a double helix.Inheritance Variation and Evolution › Reproduction
Why: in the nucleus, this DNA is packaged into chromosomes.
Unlock the whole deck
You are studying a free 10-card sample. All 74 cards of AQA GCSE Biology — Inheritance and Evolution, the other 6 AQA GCSE Biology decks, and spaced-repetition scheduling are built into Willys. 14-day free trial, then $14.99 a year.
In Willys, tap Exam Library at the top of your Decks (or Browse Exam Library… under the + button), find the exam on its shelf or by search, tick it and tap Add.
More AQA GCSE Biology decks
← All AQA GCSE Biology decks, with the study guide and topic outline.
About these cards
Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.
Checked against:
- Topic outline follows the AQA GCSE Biology (8461) specification, version 1.0 (outline only; no specification text reproduced).
- OpenStax Biology 2e, consulted as a reference; no text copied.
These are independent study notes written for Willys. They are not official exam material, may contain mistakes, and are no substitute for your course, your teacher or the exam owner's own publications. Found an error? Tell us — corrections ship as a new version of the deck.
AQA is a registered trademark of AQA Education, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.
Use of these pages is covered by our Terms of Use.