Mendel described two important genetic ideas: inheritance of acquired characteristics and the principle of independent assortment. Provide a brief description of what each one means.
It seems there is a confusion in your question. Mendel actually described two important genetic ideas: the Law of Segregation (not inheritance of acquired characteristics) and the Law of Independent Assortment.
The Law of Segregation, also known as Mendel's First Law, states that for any trait, an individual inherits two copies of the gene responsible for that trait, one from each parent. During the formation of gametes (sperm and egg cells), these genes segregate, or separate from each other, so that each gamete carries only one copy. This means that when the gametes combine to form a new organism, each offspring inherits one copy of the gene from each parent.
On the other hand, the Law of Independent Assortment, also known as Mendel's Second Law, states that the inheritance of one trait is independent of the inheritance of another trait. This means that different traits, governed by different genes, are inherited independently of each other. In other words, the alleles (alternate forms of a gene) for different traits assort independently of each other during gamete formation.
It is important to note that Mendel's principles were derived through his experiments with pea plants and laid the foundation for our understanding of genetics. These laws are fundamental to understanding how traits are passed from generation to generation.