Sex determination in humans | Heredity | Biology Class 10 | Khan Academy

Khan Academy India - English2 minutes read

Sex in humans is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes, with females having XX and males having XY. Offspring sex is determined by the sperm cell, with Y chromosomes resulting in males and X chromosomes resulting in females, making sex determination random and not influenced by parents.

Insights

  • Sex in humans is determined by the combination of sex chromosomes: XX for females and XY for males, where fertilization with an X chromosome leads to a female offspring, while fertilization with a Y chromosome results in a male.
  • The sex of the offspring is solely determined by the sperm cell, with a 50/50 chance of being male or female, as sperm carrying a Y chromosome produces a male and sperm carrying an X chromosome produces a female, highlighting the random nature of sex determination not influenced by parental control.

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Recent questions

  • How is sex determined in humans?

    By sex chromosomes.

  • What determines the sex of offspring?

    Sperm cells.

  • Is sex determination random?

    Yes.

  • What chromosomes do females have?

    XX.

  • What chromosomes do males have?

    XY.

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Summary

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"Sex Determination: Chromosomes Determine Offspring Gender"

  • Humans' sex is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes, with females having XX chromosomes and males having XY chromosomes. When a sperm with an X chromosome fertilizes an egg, the offspring is female, while fertilization with a Y chromosome results in a male.
  • The chances of offspring being male or female are 50/50, as sperm cells determine the sex of the baby. Sperm carrying a Y chromosome leads to a male offspring, while sperm with an X chromosome results in a female, showcasing that sex determination is random and not controlled by the parents.
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