Final answer:
Recombination and independent assortment play important roles in evolution. Genes sort independently into gametes during meiosis according to Mendel's law of independent assortment. Recombination allows for the exchange of genetic material on homologous chromosomes, resulting in the recombination of maternal and paternal alleles on the same chromosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Mendel's law of independent assortment, genes sort independently of each other into gametes during meiosis. Recombination serves to exchange genetic material on homologous chromosomes, allowing maternal and paternal alleles to be recombined on the same chromosome. This recombination event is a random occurrence that can happen anywhere on a chromosome. Therefore, genes that are far apart on the same chromosome are likely to still assort independently due to recombination events.