Final answer:
A mutation that is inherited and passed along to offspring by chance occurrence is known as a spontaneous mutation. These mutations can arise spontaneously during replication, as a result of environmental factors, or through errors during meiosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
A mutation that is inherited and passed along to offspring by chance occurrence is known as a spontaneous mutation. Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence of an organism and can lead to alterations in phenotype. These mutations can arise spontaneously during replication, as a result of environmental factors, or through errors during meiosis. They can be rare events, but their frequency can be increased by certain physical and chemical agents.