Understanding the Difference Between Dominant and Recessive Genes for 11-Year-Olds

Genes are like tiny instructions inside our bodies that tell us how to grow and what traits, like eye color or hair type, we might have.

Each gene usually comes in two versions called alleles. You get one allele from your mom and one from your dad.

What are Dominant and Recessive Genes?

• Dominant genes are like the 'bossy' ones. If you have a dominant gene, it will show up in how you look or what traits you have, even if you only have one copy of it.
• Recessive genes are like the 'quiet' or 'shy' ones. They need both copies (one from mom and one from dad) to be the same recessive type for the trait to show up.

Example

Let's say the gene for eye color has a dominant blue gene (B) and a recessive brown gene (b). If you have one B and one b (Bb), your eyes will look blue because the dominant B gene shows up.

If you have two recessive brown genes (bb), then your eyes will look brown because no dominant gene is there to cover it.

Summary

• A dominant gene shows its trait even if you only have one copy.
• A recessive gene shows its trait only if you have two copies.
• This is why some traits can skip a generation if they are recessive.

So, the main difference is about which gene "wins" and shows up in you!