Question

which statement about inheritance is true? girls get most of their traits from their moms, boys get most of their traits from their dads. male offspring will always have an x - linked genetic disease if the mom is a carrier. fathers always determine the gender of the offspring in humans. males never have y chromosomes.

Explanation:

• Girls get most of their traits from their moms, boys get most of their traits from their dads: This is false. Offspring (both male and female) inherit half of their nuclear DNA from each parent.
• Male offspring will always have an X - linked genetic disease if the mom is a carrier: This is false. If the mother is a carrier (\(X^{A}X^{a}\)) and the father has a normal \(X\) chromosome (\(X^{A}Y\)), there is a 50% chance for a male offspring (\(X^{a}Y\) or \(X^{A}Y\)) to have the disease.
• Fathers always determine the gender of the offspring in humans: This is true. Females have \(XX\) sex chromosomes and can only contribute an \(X\) chromosome. Males have \(XY\) sex chromosomes. If the sperm contributes an \(X\) chromosome, the offspring is female (\(XX\)); if it contributes a \(Y\) chromosome, the offspring is male (\(XY\)).
• Males never have Y chromosomes: This is false. Males have \(XY\) sex chromosomes.

Answer:

Fathers always determine the gender of the offspring in humans.