Final answer:
The correct answer is C) homozygous; heterozygous. Homozygous individuals carry two identical alleles, while heterozygous individuals have two different alleles for a given gene.
Step-by-step explanation:
A diploid individual that carries two identical alleles of the same gene is homozygous, while an individual that carries two different alleles of the same gene is heterozygous. The correct answer is C) homozygous; heterozygous.
In the study of genetics, the term homozygous refers to a condition where a diploid organism has two identical alleles for a particular gene on their homologous chromosomes. This can manifest as homozygous dominant (for example, AA), where both alleles are the dominant form, or homozygous recessive (such as aa), where both alleles are the recessive form. On the other hand, heterozygous describes a genetic configuration where an organism possesses two different alleles of a gene (Aa), one being dominant and the other recessive.
These genetic makeups determine an organism's genotype, which is the genetic blueprint that can influence its phenotype, or observable characteristics. In Mendelian inheritance, homozygous individuals express the trait associated with the allele type they possess (dominant or recessive), whereas heterozygous individuals will exhibit the dominant trait due to the presence of a dominant allele.