Question

1. explain why a mutation in a skin cell (body cell) cannot be passed to offspring.

Explanation:

Offspring inherit genetic material from gametes (sperm/egg), which are produced by germ cells. Skin cells are somatic (body) cells, not involved in reproduction. Mutations in somatic cells affect only the individual, as germ cells' DNA (not somatic cells') is passed to offspring.

Answer:

Mutations in skin cells (somatic cells) cannot be passed to offspring because offspring inherit genetic material from germ cells (that form gametes: sperm/egg), not from somatic cells like skin cells. Somatic cell mutations affect only the individual with the mutation, as they do not contribute DNA to the next generation’s genetic makeup.