what is the difference between a genotype and a phenotype?

Genotype refers to the complete set of genes carried by an individual, while phenotype refers to the physical or observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genotype and the environment. Genotype is the genetic makeup, or the specific combination of alleles for a particular trait, while phenotype is the actual physical manifestation of those genes, such as hair color, height, or eye shape. In simpler terms, genotype is the genetic blueprint, while phenotype is the physical expression of that blueprint.