Final answer:
Spontaneous mutations result from natural biological processes, whereas induced mutations are caused by environmental agents like chemicals or radiation. These mutations can impact a single nucleotide or larger chromosome structures, affecting an organism's phenotype and potentially being inherited.
Step-by-step explanation:
Spontaneous mutations are changes in DNA structure that result from natural biological or chemical processes, such as errors during DNA replication or spontaneous chemical changes like deamination. On the other hand, induced mutations are caused by environmental agents such as chemical mutagens, ultraviolet or ionizing radiation. These mutagens may damage the DNA by causing changes that can affect the functionality of genes, potentially leading to diseases such as cancer.
Mutations can alter a single nucleotide or large segments of a chromosome, with potential impacts ranging from negligible to significant changes in an organism's phenotype. Somatic mutations affect only the individual and are not passed down to offspring, while germline mutations can be inherited. Understanding the distinction between spontaneous and induced mutations is important in fields like medicine and genetics where such knowledge can inform treatment and prevention strategies.