Which statement correctly describes Mendel's laws and provides a Punnett square example?

Which statement correctly describes Mendel's laws and provides a Punnett square example?

• A. Segregation states that alleles separate into gametes; Independent assortment ensures genes on different chromosomes assort independently. Example Aa x Aa yields AA, Aa, aa.
• B. Segregation occurs during meiosis I but not meiosis II; Independent assortment is not a real law.
• C. Segregation: alleles separate into gametes; Independent assortment: genes on different chromosomes assort independently; Example Aa x Aa yields AA, Aa, aa.
• D. Punnett squares cannot be used for monohybrid crosses.

Answer: (C)

Mendel's laws describe how traits are inherited through allele separation and independent sorting of genes. Segregation means the two alleles for a gene separate into gametes, so each gamete carries only one allele. Independent assortment means that when genes are on different chromosomes, their alleles sort into gametes independently of each other. In a monohybrid cross where both parents are heterozygous (Aa), each parent can produce gametes carrying A or a. A Punnett square shows all possible zygotes: AA, Aa, Aa, aa. That gives a genotype ratio of 1:2:1, and, if A is dominant, a 3:1 phenotype ratio. This illustrates how alleles are passed to offspring and how predictable genotype and phenotype outcomes are. The other statements either misstate when segregation occurs, deny independent assortment, or claim Punnett squares aren’t usable for monohybrid crosses, which isn’t accurate.

Mendel's laws describe how traits are inherited through allele separation and independent sorting of genes. Segregation means the two alleles for a gene separate into gametes, so each gamete carries only one allele. Independent assortment means that when genes are on different chromosomes, their alleles sort into gametes independently of each other. In a monohybrid cross where both parents are heterozygous (Aa), each parent can produce gametes carrying A or a. A Punnett square shows all possible zygotes: AA, Aa, Aa, aa. That gives a genotype ratio of 1:2:1, and, if A is dominant, a 3:1 phenotype ratio. This illustrates how alleles are passed to offspring and how predictable genotype and phenotype outcomes are. The other statements either misstate when segregation occurs, deny independent assortment, or claim Punnett squares aren’t usable for monohybrid crosses, which isn’t accurate.