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What laws of genetics did Mendel explain?

a) Law of Dominance and Law of Segregation
b) Law of Independent Assortment and Law of Inheritance
c) Law of Multiple Alleles and Law of Codominance
d) Law of Genetic Variation and Law of Genetic Expression

User Turtlepick
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Final answer:

Mendel explained the Law of Dominance, the Law of Segregation, and the Law of Independent Assortment, with the latter two being foundational principles of genetics that describe how traits are inherited during sexual reproduction through meiosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct option for the laws of genetics that Mendel explained is a) Law of Dominance and Law of Segregation. Gregor Mendel's Law of Segregation indicates that during the formation of gametes, the paired unit factors (genes) segregate equally to ensure that offspring have an equal chance of receiving either factor. This is why we can use Punnett squares to predict genetic outcomes. The Law of Segregation becomes evident during the first division of meiosis, where homologous chromosomes are separated into different gametes.

The Law of Independent Assortment states that the alleles of different genes will sort into gametes independently of one another, assuming the genes are not linked on the same chromosome. This was concluded from Mendel's dihybrid cross experiments, which revealed a 9:3:3:1 ratio, corresponding to the independent inheritance of two genetic traits. Mendel's work laid the foundational understanding of inheritance patterns, which today is bolstered by the chromosomal theory of inheritance, explaining these segregation patterns through the lens of chromosome behavior during meiosis.

User Liska Liskor
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