Question

When carrying out experiments in genetics and heredity, why was it crucial for Gregor Mendel to use plants in huge numbers?

A. When using many plants, it was possible to show that his results were not accidental

B. The pea plant is susceptible to various diseases, and there was a need for many of them to survive to maturity so Mendel could draw the necessary conclusions

C. Plants don't have as many genes as animals

D. It was not actually important; the pea plant produces a lot of seeds, and Mendel planted all of them so as to observe their behavior

Answer 1

Mendel used large numbers of pea plants to ensure his genetic experiments had statistically significant results and the traits were easily identifiable, allowing him to quickly conclude his findings in heredity were not by chance.

Step-by-step explanation:

When carrying out experiments in genetics and heredity, it was crucial for Gregor Mendel to use plants in huge numbers to demonstrate that his results were not accidental. By using large quantities of pea plants, Mendel ensured that his results were statistically significant and not due to chance. His use of vast numbers of plants allowed him to work with large sample sizes, making his conclusions about inheritance patterns more robust. Furthermore, pea plants are a model organism that grows quickly and has easily identifiable traits which facilitated Mendel in completing many experiments over short periods, with traits reliably passed on to the offspring.