Describe Mendel's conclusions about how traits are passed from generation to generation.

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1. Mendel concluded that traits are determined by 'factors' (now known as genes) that are passed from parents to offspring. Each individual inherits two factors for each trait, one from each parent.
2. He proposed the Law of Segregation, which states that during the formation of gametes (sperm and egg), the two factors for a trait separate, so each gamete carries only one factor for each trait.
3. Mendel also formulated the Law of Independent Assortment, which states that factors for different traits are distributed to gametes independently of one another, provided the genes are on different chromosomes or far apart on the same chromosome.
4. He observed that some traits are dominant and mask the expression of other traits, which are recessive. This explains why certain traits appear in one generation but not in another.
5. Mendel's experiments with pea plants demonstrated that the inheritance of traits follows predictable patterns, laying the foundation for modern genetics.

Key Concepts

Mendelian Inheritance

Mendelian inheritance refers to the principles of heredity established by Gregor Mendel through his experiments with pea plants. He discovered that traits are inherited in discrete units, now known as genes, and that these traits segregate independently during gamete formation. This foundational concept laid the groundwork for modern genetics, explaining how traits are passed from parents to offspring.

Dominant and Recessive Traits

In Mendel's studies, he identified that some traits are dominant while others are recessive. A dominant trait will manifest in the phenotype even if only one copy of the gene is present, while a recessive trait requires two copies to be expressed. This concept is crucial for understanding how traits can skip generations and how they can be expressed in offspring.

Law of Segregation

The Law of Segregation is one of Mendel's key principles, stating that during the formation of gametes, the two alleles for a trait separate so that each gamete carries only one allele. This explains the random assortment of alleles during reproduction and is fundamental to predicting the genetic makeup of offspring based on parental genotypes.