Question: Skin cancer can occur if the DNA in skin cells is mutated by ultra-violet radiation in sunlight. Can the mutation that causes skin cancer be passed on to offspring?
Solution (explanation):
Remember that somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells; they are passed to daughter cells during mitosis but not to offspring during sexual reproduction. Thus if the skin cancer occurs when DNA in skin cells is mutated by ultra-violet radiation in sunlight, this means that this type of mutation is somatic mutation because it occurs in somatic cells (such as skin) and does not come from hereditary mutations.
Answer: we can conclude that the correct answer is:
Mutations caused in the skin as a result of exposure to ultraviolet rays will not be passed on to offspring.