Final answer:
Human variation refers to the range of forms of any human characteristic and includes differences in physical traits and genetic factors. It can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors and does not fit into discrete racial categories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The range of forms of any human characteristic is called human variation. Human variation refers to the differences in physical traits and genetic factors that exist within the human population. These variations can include differences in height, facial features, skin color, blood type, and many other characteristics.
Human variation is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It can be inherited through Mendelian inheritance, where traits are determined by specific genes, or through polygenic inheritance, where multiple genes contribute to a trait.
Biological anthropology has shown that human variation does not fit into discrete racial categories, as there is more genetic variation within a racial category than between categories. Instead, human traits vary along a spectrum, and there is a wide range of variation within the human population.