Define each of the following terms:

genotype

Key Concepts

Genotype

The genotype refers to the genetic constitution of an organism, encompassing all the alleles inherited from its parents. It determines the potential traits that an organism can express, although not all genotypes are phenotypically visible. For example, an individual may carry alleles for a trait that are not expressed due to dominance or environmental factors.

Alleles

Alleles are different versions of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. Each individual inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which can be identical (homozygous) or different (heterozygous). The combination of these alleles contributes to the organism's genotype and can influence its phenotype.

Phenotype

The phenotype is the observable physical and physiological traits of an organism, which result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. While the genotype provides the genetic blueprint, the phenotype reflects how these genes are expressed in a given environment. For instance, two plants with the same genotype may exhibit different heights if grown in varying soil conditions.