How Does Genes vs Alleles Work?

Genes and alleles are like recipe cards in a kitchen, they tell your body how to make different traits.

Genes are like the main recipes that decide things like eye color or hair texture. Every person has two copies of each gene, one from each parent.

Now, alleles are like the different versions of those recipes. For example, if a gene is for eye color, one allele might be for blue eyes and another for brown eyes.

Imagine you have a cookie recipe (a gene), your mom’s version might make chocolate chip cookies (one allele), and your dad’s version might make sugar cookies (another allele). Depending on which recipe gets used more, the final cookie (your eye color) will look different.

Sometimes both recipes are used equally, and sometimes one takes over. That’s how traits like eye color or height can vary from person to person, it all depends on which alleles come together in your body's kitchen! Genes and alleles are like recipe cards in a kitchen, they tell your body how to make different traits.

Genes are like the main recipes that decide things like eye color or hair texture. Every person has two copies of each gene, one from each parent.

Now, alleles are like the different versions of those recipes. For example, if a gene is for eye color, one allele might be for blue eyes and another for brown eyes.

Imagine you have a cookie recipe (a gene), your mom’s version might make chocolate chip cookies (one allele), and your dad’s version might make sugar cookies (another allele). Depending on which recipe gets used more, the final cookie (your eye color) will look different.

Sometimes both recipes are used equally, and sometimes one takes over. That’s how traits like eye color or height can vary from person to person, it all depends on which alleles come together in your body's kitchen!