1. What is a Punnett Square?

A Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations of offspring from parental alleles. It's commonly used to study inheritance patterns of traits like eye color.

2. How Does Eye Color Inheritance Work?

Eye color inheritance is polygenic, but simplified models often use brown (B) as dominant and blue (b) as recessive:

Where:

• \( P \) — Probability (dimensionless)
• \( F \) — Favorable outcomes (dimensionless)
• \( T \) — Total possible outcomes (dimensionless)

Example: For heterozygous parents (Bb × Bb), the probability of blue-eyed (bb) offspring is 1/4.

3. Common Eye Color Genotypes

Common combinations:

• Brown eyes: BB or Bb
• Blue eyes: bb
• Green eyes: (in more complex models with additional genes)

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of favorable genetic combinations (F) and total possible combinations (T) to calculate the probability of specific eye color inheritance.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is eye color really this simple?
A: No, actual eye color inheritance involves multiple genes, but this simplified model helps demonstrate basic Mendelian inheritance.

Q2: Can two blue-eyed parents have brown-eyed children?
A: Not in this simple model, but possible in reality due to more complex genetics.

Q3: What about green or hazel eyes?
A: These require more complex models accounting for multiple genes and modifiers.

Q4: How accurate are Punnett square predictions?
A: They show possible combinations, but actual outcomes may vary due to complex inheritance patterns.

Q5: Can this predict eye color for my children?
A: It can show probabilities based on simplified models, but real-world eye color is more complex.