Short Answer
Mendel’s hypothesis explains that genes control traits and are inherited from parents to offspring. Genes separate during gamete formation, allowing one gene to be expressed while the other remains dormant, leading to patterns of inheritance influenced by dominant and recessive genes.
Step 1: Understanding Genes and Traits
Mendel’s hypothesis states that a pair of factors, now known as genes, controls various traits. Each parent contributes one gene for each trait to their offspring. This means that traits are inherited from generation to generation through these passed genes.
Step 2: Separation of Genes During Gamete Formation
During the formation of gametes, the genes separate. This separation ensures that each gamete carries only one gene for each trait. As a result, if there are two different genes (or alleles) for a trait, one may be expressed while the other remains dormant but can still be inherited.
Step 3: Inheritance Patterns and Dominance
The pattern of inheritance indicates that even if a trait does not appear in an individual, it can still be passed on to the next generation. This is due to the existence of dominant and recessive genes, where one may overshadow another. Mendel’s principles highlight that genes segregate during gamete production, ensuring a variety of traits in offspring.