Final answer:
Crossing over during meiosis creates new combinations of genes on chromosomes, increasing genetic variation in offspring. It is most significant when genes are farther apart on the same chromosome, leading to more frequent recombination events and more diverse progeny.
Step-by-step explanation:
Crossing over is a crucial process during meiosis that significantly contributes to the genetic diversity in offspring. This phenomenon involves the exchange of DNA segments between non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes. When two genes are located on the same chromosome (linked genes), their physical proximity can affect their inheritance patterns. If the genes are very close together, they are less likely to be separated by crossing over and are typically inherited together as a unit. As the distance between two genes on a chromosome increases, so does the probability of crossing over occurring between them.
To address the question at hand, crossing over is an important factor in increasing the genetic variation in offspring. It does this by producing new combinations of alleles, thereby contributing to the diversity of traits in a population. This process is significant because it gives rise to nonparental or recombinant genotypes which may combine alleles from both parents in new ways.
Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is: Crossing over is an important factor in increasing the C. genetic variation in offspring.