Final answer:
When two genes tend to be inherited together during gamete formation because they are near each other on the same chromosome, the term for this phenomenon is 'linkage'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term applied when two genes fail to assort independently, meaning they tend to segregate together during gamete formation, is called linkage. This occurs because the genes are located close to each other on the same chromosome, and as a result, they are often inherited together as a unit rather than sorting independently according to Mendel's law of independent assortment.
Despite the tendency for linked genes to be inherited together, there is a process known as genetic recombination that can occur. This process involves crossing over where segments of DNA are exchanged between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, which can mix up alleles and produce new combinations. The frequency of recombination between two genes can provide information about how close together those genes are on a chromosome.