one of Mendel’s principles that states that genes for different traits can segregate independently during the formation of gametes

This principle is known as the Law of Independent Assortment. Mendel observed that the inheritance of one trait did not influence the inheritance of another trait. In other words, the segregation of alleles for one gene is independent of the segregation of alleles for another gene, as long as the genes are located on different chromosomes or are far apart on the same chromosome. This principle laid the foundation for the understanding of genetic inheritance and the concept of genetic variation.