Final answer:
When all 16 rat offspring from a hypothesis test exhibit white fur and a short tail, the hypothesis predicting a 9:3:3:1 phenotypic ratio would likely be rejected, as these results suggest non-Mendelian inheritance or complete dominance due to homozygosity, not matching expected Mendelian variation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we Assume that you tested your hypothesis (inheritance model) from Question 7, and observe that all 16 rat offspring display the same traits—white fur and a short tail—we must consider Mendelian genetics to interpret these results. According to Mendelian principles, if two traits, like fur color and tail length, follow a dihybrid cross, we expect offspring to show a 9:3:3:1 phenotypic ratio for the combination of traits, assuming the traits are independently assorting and dominant-recessive. In the scenario presented, the exclusive appearance of one phenotype—white fur and short tail—suggests a non-Mendelian pattern of inheritance or complete dominance, perhaps due to both parents being homozygous recessive for both traits.
If your rat trait hypothesis predicted a variety of phenotypes based on a 9:3:3:1 ratio, then the result of 100% white fur and short tail would likely lead you to reject your hypothesis. This is because the observed results do not match the expected variation of phenotypes. To accept the hypothesis, you would expect to see a diversity of phenotypes consistent with Mendelian inheritance. Furthermore, such a result could also lead to questioning the assumptions underlying the hypothesis, such as whether the traits are indeed independently assorting or if there are other factors affecting the inheritance.