Acquired vs Inherited Traits worksheet - Free Printable

Let’s go through each trait one by one and decide if it is inherited (passed down from parents through genes) or acquired (learned or developed during life).

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a. Flower petal colour
→ This is determined by the plant’s genes. A red rose will have red petals because of its DNA, not because it learned it.
✔ Inherited

b. Tree height
→ While environment (sunlight, water) affects how tall a tree grows, the *potential* height is mostly inherited — like how an oak tree won’t grow as tall as a redwood even in perfect conditions. But since environment plays a big role, some might say “both” — however, for this level, we usually say inherited, because genetics set the limits.
✔ Inherited *(Note: In advanced biology, it’s polygenic + environmental, but for school level, inherited is acceptable)*

c. Professional athletic ability
→ You can be born with good muscles or coordination (inherited), but becoming a *professional* athlete takes years of training, practice, and learning — that’s acquired. The skill itself is learned.
✔ Acquired

d. Ability of a mouse to learn a maze
→ Mice are born with the *capacity* to learn (which is inherited), but actually learning the maze? That’s something they do through experience — trial and error. So the *ability to learn* is inherited, but the *specific knowledge of the maze* is acquired. Since the question says “ability... to learn”, it’s tricky — but in context, it likely means the actual learned behavior. Let’s check standard curriculum: Usually, “learning a maze” is considered an acquired behavior.
✔ Acquired

e. Colour blindness of a person
→ This is caused by genes on the X chromosome. It’s passed from parent to child. Not something you get from reading too much or eating carrots.
✔ Inherited

f. Scars on a person’s face
→ Scars happen after injury — like falling or getting cut. You’re not born with them. They come from experiences.
✔ Acquired

g. Eye colour
→ Blue eyes, brown eyes — all decided by your genes before you’re born. No amount of staring at blue paint will change your eye color.
✔ Inherited

h. Ability of a piano player
→ You might inherit good finger dexterity or musical ear, but playing piano? That takes lessons, practice, repetition — definitely learned.
✔ Acquired

i. Widow’s peak on a person’s forehead
→ That V-shaped hairline? Controlled by genes. If your mom or dad has it, you might too. Can’t grow one by combing your hair differently.
✔ Inherited

j. Science knowledge
→ You don’t inherit facts about atoms or planets. You learn them in school, from books, experiments. Totally acquired.
✔ Acquired

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Now let’s double-check any tricky ones:

- Tree height: Some curricula may mark this as “both”, but since the worksheet only gives two choices and doesn’t allow “both”, and given that genetic potential is primary, inherited is correct here.
- Mouse learning maze: Again, the *capacity* to learn is inherited, but the *act of learning the maze* is acquired. The phrasing “ability... to learn a maze” suggests the behavioral outcome — so acquired is right.

All others are straightforward.

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Final Answer:

a. Inherited
b. Inherited
c. Acquired
d. Acquired
e. Inherited
f. Acquired
g. Inherited
h. Acquired
i. Inherited
j. Acquired