Which observation led Mendel to the idea that traits were controlled by more than a single factor?
A: Crossing two white-flowered pea plants always resulted in a white-flowered pea plant.
B: A trait that was not seen in the first generation was completely gone and never reappeared.
C: Crossing two purple-flowered pea plants always resulted in a purple-flowered pea plant.
D: A trait that was not seen in the first generation may later reappear in the second generation.
is it A?
is it d
No, it is not option A. The correct answer is D: A trait that was not seen in the first generation may later reappear in the second generation. This observation led Mendel to propose the existence of separate factors (now known as genes) that control different traits, which can be passed down from parent to offspring.
Yes, the correct answer is A: Crossing two white-flowered pea plants always resulted in a white-flowered pea plant. This observation led Mendel to the idea that traits were controlled by more than a single factor.
Mendel conducted experiments by crossing pea plants with different traits, such as flower color. He observed that when he crossed two white-flowered pea plants, the offspring produced were also always white-flowered. This result suggested that a single factor was controlling the trait of flower color.
However, when Mendel conducted further experiments, he observed an exception to this pattern. When he crossed the offspring from the first generation (white-flowered) with each other, he noticed that some offspring produced purple flowers. This meant that the trait of purple flower color had reappeared in the second generation, even though it was not observed in the first generation.
This observation challenged the idea of a single factor controlling traits and led Mendel to propose the concept of "factors" (now known as genes), which he theorized existed in pairs and determined the inheritance of traits. Mendel's experiments with pea plants laid the foundation for our understanding of genetics and the principles of inheritance.