Title: Heredity Reading Comprehension
Headings: Heredity
Heredity
Content: Heredity Reading Comprehension
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Heredity
Everyone gets certain traits or characteristics from his parents. Heredity is the passing on of these specific characteristics from one generation to the next. These traits are passed on by genes in our DNA. DNA is a material found in chromosomes. Chromosomes are located in the nucleus of every cell in the human body. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. Each child receives one-half of its chromosomes (23) from each parent, for a total of 46. Therefore, each child inherits one-half of its DNA from his father and one-half from his mother. Pieces of information inside a DNA molecule are called genes. A gene gives instructions about making a certain protein to determine a trait for the person, like color of eyes or hair.