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Acquired traits are those that individuals pick up throughout their lives. These traits aren’t inherited from their parents or ancestors. Inherited traits, however, are the ones we’re born with and are handed down through generations.
Also Check: Life Process
Acquired Traits
An acquired trait is something that a person learns or develops because of their surroundings. It’s not something that’s in their DNA, so they can’t pass it on to their kids.
Darwin, Lamarck and Acquired Traits
Lamarck thought that if a parent gained a certain trait during its lifetime, it could pass that trait to its babies. This idea suggested that organisms could change themselves to fit their environment better. But Darwin, in his Theory of Evolution, later showed that this wasn’t true. He found out that traits acquired during a lifetime don’t get passed on to the next generation.
Inherited Traits
Inherited traits are qualities or features passed down from parents to their children through genes. Some examples include things like eye color, skin tone, hair type, height, and certain illnesses such as sickle cell anemia, Alzheimer’s disease, Tay Sachs, and diabetes.
Also Check: CBSE Syllabus for Class 10
Inherited Traits Examples
Every person has a specific quality or feature that is often referred to as a ‘family trait’ or something that runs in the family. Some of these unique traits that living beings inherit from their parents include:
- Hair color (Black/brown/blonde etc)
- Texture and type of hair (Rough/smooth or Straight/curly)
- Color blindness
- Dimples
- Freckles
- Ability to roll tongue
- In females, menstruation onset and menopause
- Use of left hand/right hand
- Sleep pattern
- Skin color and texture
- The shape of the nose
- Blood group
Also Check: CBSE Class 10 Science Syllabus
Sometimes genetic disorders are also inheritable, which like
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy
- Hemochromatosis
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Tay-Sachs
- Cleft lip and palate
- Dementia
- Cancer
- Familial hypercholesterolemia
- Diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Huntington disease
- Heart diseases
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Arthritis
- Congenital Deafness (non-syndromic)
- Sickle cell anemia
Inherited traits in plants
- Stem height
- Flower color and shape
- Flower position
- Seed color and shape
- Leaf pattern
- Pod color and its shape
Inherited traits in Animals
- Fur color or coat color and patterns like, spotted/stripped
- Body shape and size
- Tail shape and length
- Eye color and shape
| Inherited traits | Acquired traits |
| These are genetic variations. | These are somatic variations. |
| It is present by birth. | It developed during its lifetime. |
| It is inheritable. | It is not inheritable. |
| Change in DNA causes many changes. | Change in DNA does not cause any changes. |
| Traits controlled by genes. | Traits not controlled by genes. |
| Inherited traits are not affected by changes in environment. | Acquired traits are changed according to changes occurring in our environment. |
| Example – hair and eyes color like brown curly hairs , blue eyes etc. | Example- acquired skills like swimming, knowledge, cycling. |
Acquired and Inherited Traits FAQs
What are acquired and inherited traits with example?
Acquired traits are those you learn or develop during your life, like riding a bike. Inherited traits are passed down from your parents, like eye color.
What is acquired inheritance traits?
Acquired inheritance traits are characteristics gained during a person's lifetime but are not passed down to their offspring.
What are inherited traits?
Inherited traits are qualities or characteristics that you get from your parents through genes, like hair color or height.
Why are acquired traits not inherited class 10?
Acquired traits are not inherited because they are not passed down through genes from parents to offspring.
What are 5 examples of Acquired traits?
Learning to play an instrument, speaking a language, muscle development from exercise, scars from injuries, and changes due to environment like tanning.
What are traits that can be acquired?
Traits that can be acquired are things like skills, knowledge, behaviors, and physical changes that happen as a result of experiences or interactions with the environment.
