An offspring affected with fetal alcohol syndrome caused by excessive consumption of alcohol by the mother is not an example of the inheritance of an acquired trait because the:
A)mother can be treated for alcoholism.
B)child can be treated for fetal alcohol syndrome.
C)genes for excessive alcohol consumption are already mutated in the mother.
D)the mother's alcoholism affects the development of the fetus, not its genes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The development of fetal alcohol syndrome in the offspring is due to the mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy which affects the fetus' development. The trait is not inherited through genes but rather due to environmental factors. The fact that the mother can be treated for alcoholism or the child can be treated for fetal alcohol syndrome does not change the fact that fetal alcohol syndrome is not an inherited trait.

An Offspring Affected with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Caused by Excessive