Question

A Punnett square displays

A. the probabilities of how alleles combine in offspring.
B. DNA sequences and the proteins they encode.
C. paired chromosomes in size order.
D. members of a family and their phenotypes.

Answer 1

A Punnett square predicts allele combinations in offspring, showing probabilities for genotypes and phenotypes derived from parent alleles.

Step-by-step explanation:

A Punnett square is a graphical representation used in genetics to predict the outcomes of a particular cross or breeding experiment. Through a Punnett square, one can determine the probabilities of how different alleles combine in offspring to produce particular genotypes and phenotypes, assuming Mendelian inheritance. For example, if we have two heterozygous purple-colored flower plants (Pp), meaning they possess one dominant allele (P) for purple color and one recessive allele (p) for white color, the Punnett square shows the potential genetic combinations their offspring could inherit. The outcome illustrates that there is a 75% chance for offspring to have the purple phenotype (either PP or Pp genotype) and a 25% chance for white phenotype (pp genotype).