Final answer:
Finches were to Darwin as peas were to Mendel. This analogy highlights how Darwin used finches to study natural selection, while Mendel's work with peas led to the discovery of the basic principles of genetics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Just as finches were crucial to Darwin's study of natural selection and adaptive radiation, peas were to Gregor Mendel and the study of genetics. Mendel's observations of different pea plant traits, such as color and shape, led him to discover the basic principles of heredity and dominant and recessive genes. His work laid the foundation for what we now understand as the science of genetics.
Analogy Explanation
Completing the following analogy: Finches were to Darwin as peas were to Mendel. Both scientists used these organisms to unravel fundamental natural processes—Darwin explored how species could diverge through natural selection, while Mendel uncovered how traits were passed from generation to generation.