Page 188 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

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188 SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
THE BASIS OF HEREDITY
A normal human cell contains forty-six c . During the production
of sex cells (i.e. sperm and e ) these chromosomes are split in half so each sex cell only
contains t t chromosomes. When a sperm cell reaches an
egg the two sets of twenty-three chromosomes combine to make a baby with f s
chromosomes in each cell.
When an animal is cloned an e cell is taken from a female donor. The nucleus of
this egg cell is r and discarded. A cell is then taken from the animal that is
to be cloned. The n of this cell (that contains a full set of chromosomes)
is removed, and is then i into the e cell from the donor.
The donor cell now has a full set of chromosomes. This cell is then placed into the female
donor’s w . When the baby is born, it will be g
identical to the donor parent.
The Ethics of Cloning
In the boxes below are some statements about the potential benefits and problems created by
cloning. The line shown under each statement is known as a continuum. The five points on the
continuum are: Strongly agree - Agree - Neither agree nor disagree - Disagree - Strongly disagree.
After carefully reading and considering each statement, mark the point that most closely
represents your point of view. There are no right or wrong answers to these statements (scientists
have been debating them for years!). You should consider the following questions before making
up your mind.
• Why do I feel this way?
• Why do people feel differently than I do about this?
• What information could I use to persuade others to accept my point of view?
Cloning technology should be used to replicate endangered animals, such as the kiwi, and to
bring extinct animals, such as the moa, back to life. Humans are responsible for making them
endangered or extinct so we should use our technology to bring them back.
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I feel this way because:
Thinking about Cloning
1. Use the information on the previous page to complete the following paragraph.
Cloning technology should be used to replicate highly productive plants and animals. For
example, we should clone wheat plants that produce more wheat than normal, or sheep that
produce more wool and meat than normal. This could lead to the end of world hunger.
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I feel this way because: 




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