Ashlee Cravens

2/3/16
Period 4

Assignment #2

Your friend Zach confides in you that he thinks that one of "his" children is
not his. When pressed for details he points out to you that both he and his
wife have dark brown hair and that his baby has blonde hair. In the
conversation he adds that although his mother was a blonde and his wife's
father was a blonde, that it is pretty obvious that neither he nor his wife have
blonde genes. What do say to your friend? Use a chart or diagram to
support your conclusions.

First, I would start by asking if he was feeling okay. Most people know that if
your parents have a gene that you now carry that gene. If you carry a gene,
you can pass it onto your children. If he responses saying hes fine, I would
sit down and explain to him how it works.
I am a prime example of this situation. My mother and father both have
dark brown hair. Then there is me, as blonde as Marilyn Monroe. My three
other siblings have jet black hair. Both my grandmothers were blonde
growing up but my grandpas were black. How did this happen? Well when my
grandmas had kids they passed their recessive genes to my parents. This
means that both my parents carry a recessive blonde gene. When I was born
those recessive genes met together and decided that it was there time to
shine. That is what happened with you and your wife. He was speechless.
Your recessive blonde genes had more protein then your dominate brown
genes had. This means blonde took over as the dominate gene while the

Ashlee Cravens
2/3/16
Period 4

Assignment #2

brown genes regenerated more protein. It is the lack of pheomelanin and

eumelanin.( Farley.B, 2015)

After I explained to him about his dominant and recessive genes he felt a lot
better. He went home, gave his wife and beautiful blonde hair baby a kiss,
and never questioned it again. Im glad I could help him out.

Here are the results for Zachs particular situation. Even though the most common would to have a
dark hair child, the small percentage of having a blonde child was dominant. (Graph by:

ezineastrology.com, 2012-14)
Black

Brown

Red

Strawberry Blond

Blond

25%

50%

1%

7%

18%

CITATIONS
Farley, B. (2015, August 18). What makes a gene dominant or recessive? Retrieved February 03,
2016, from https://www.quora.com/What-makes-a-gene-dominant-or-recessive
G. F. (2012-14). Quick Trait Calculator - Genetic Heredity Calculator. Retrieved
February 03, 2016, from http://dna.frieger.com/calc-quick.php
What Will Be The Hair Color Of Your Baby? (2012-14). Retrieved February 03, 2016,
from http://www.ezineastrology.com/ea-product/hair-color-inheritance/earesult/sel_ff/4/sel_fm/1/sel_f/1/sel_mf/1/sel_mm/4/sel_m/1/hidhaircolorresult/Black_2
5_Brown_50_Red_1_Strawberry_Blond_7_Blond_18_