Final answer:
An inducer combines with a repressor and inactivates it, allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe the genes necessary for metabolizing the inducer substance, such as lactose in the lac operon.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an inducer is added to a medium containing an organism with a metabolic pathway controlled by a repressor, the correct action of the inducer is to combine with the repressor and inactivate it. For example, in the lac operon, the presence of lactose serves as an inducer. Lactose binds to the repressor protein, causing a conformational change which prevents the repressor from binding to the operator sequence. This action allows RNA polymerase to transcribe the genes necessary for the metabolism of lactose. The key aspect here is that the inducer directly interferes with the repressor's ability to block transcription, leading to the expression of the operon.