Question

Polygenic inheritance deals with the concept of continuous variation
a. true
b. false

Answer 1

Polygenic inheritance involves multiple genes contributing to a single trait, leading to continuous variation in phenotypes. This results in a wide range of possible expression levels for the trait, supporting the statement that polygenic inheritance deals with the concept of continuous variation. Therefore, the answer would be true.

Answer 2

Polygenic inheritance deals with the concept of continuous variation, meaning that traits such as height and eye color are influenced by multiple genes and result in a range of phenotypic outcomes, often displaying a bell-shaped curve in the population.

Step-by-step explanation:

Polygenic inheritance does indeed deal with the concept of continuous variation. This is because polygenic traits are influenced by more than one gene and exhibit a range of possible phenotypes. Traditional examples of such traits include human height and eye color, where the variations in the population form a bell-shaped curve, representing a spectrum from one extreme to another rather than discrete categories.

Mendel's work originally focused on discontinuous variation, where traits fall into distinct categories, and was eventually recognized as the foundation of modern genetics. However, his findings contrasted with the then-prevailing theory of blending inheritance. Instead of discontinuous traits, polygenic inheritance is characterized by multiple genes contributing to a trait, resulting in offspring that can appear to be a 'blend' of their parents' traits in characteristics showing continuous variation.