Final answer:
Gregor Mendel studied the passing down of hereditary information using pea plants, establishing principles such as random segregation and independent assortment in genetics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the late 1800s, Gregor Mendel observed the aspect of passing down of hereditary information in his experiments with pea plants. His experiments were focused on understanding how physical characteristics were transmitted from one generation to the next. Through his work, Mendel articulated the principles of random segregation and independent assortment, which are fundamental concepts in the study of genetics. He discovered that the factors affecting traits were inherited in discrete units, now known as genes, and he identified the patterns of dominant and recessive traits when crossing pure-bred plants. Mendel's discoveries enabled scientists to predict how traits would be passed on to subsequent generations, laying the groundwork for modern genetics.