Question

Males more likely to inherit sex linked traits because:
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20 points
A. males only have one X chromosome
B. males do not have an X chromosome
C. the X chromosome often has the dominant allele, or may not be present on the Y chromosome.
A and C are true

Answer 1

Correct answer: A only.

Explanation: males are XY and therefore have only one X chromosome (hemizygous for X-linked genes). That means any allele on their single X—whether dominant or recessive—will be expressed because there is no second X allele to mask it.

Why B and C are wrong:
- B is false: males do have an X chromosome (they are XY).
- C is misleading: it’s not that the X “often has the dominant allele.” The key point is that the Y chromosome lacks many of the genes found on X, so males lack a second copy for those genes; dominance per se is not why males are more likely to show X‑linked recessive traits.

Example: X‑linked recessive conditions like red‑green color blindness or hemophilia are much more common in males because one mutant X allele is sufficient to produce the phenotype.