Which of the following is an example of an inherited trait?

• A. Learned skill
• B. Height that changes with diet
• C. Skin color
• D. Personal taste in music

Answer: (C)

An inherited trait is a characteristic determined by genes passed from parents to offspring and present from birth. Skin color fits this because genetic variants control how much melanin your skin produces, and those gene variants come from your parents. This genetic basis stays with you regardless of what you learn or eat, so skin color isn’t something you develop or change through experience. A learned skill comes from practice, not genes. Height can be influenced by nutrition and health during growth, so the final height isn’t determined solely by inheritance. Personal taste in music is shaped by culture and experience, not biology.