Who is known as the father of genetics and studied inherited traits using pea plants?

Who is known as the father of genetics and studied inherited traits using pea plants?

• A. Darwin
• B. Watson
• C. Mendel
• D. Crick

Answer: (C)

This is about who founded the study of inheritance and showed how traits pass from parents to offspring. Gregor Mendel approached this by working with pea plants, using varieties that were true-breeding to keep traits consistent. He deliberately crossed plants and then carefully counted the traits in the next generation. From these tallies, he observed clear patterns: some traits disappeared in the hybrid offspring only to reappear in later generations, indicating that heritable factors come in pairs and separate when reproductive cells form. These observations led to the idea that traits are controlled by discrete units—what we now call genes—that are inherited as separate packets. Mendel described the law of segregation, which explains why a parent’s pair of genes for a trait splits so that each gamete carries one gene, and the offspring receive one gene from each parent. He also noted dominant and recessive relationships, as seen in how certain traits mask others in the offspring. Taken together, these findings laid the groundwork for genetics, the science of how traits are passed down. Other scientists made important contributions to biology, but Mendel’s experiments specifically established the patterns of inheritance that define genetics. Darwin is known for natural selection and evolution, while Watson and Crick identified the structure of DNA.

This is about who founded the study of inheritance and showed how traits pass from parents to offspring. Gregor Mendel approached this by working with pea plants, using varieties that were true-breeding to keep traits consistent. He deliberately crossed plants and then carefully counted the traits in the next generation. From these tallies, he observed clear patterns: some traits disappeared in the hybrid offspring only to reappear in later generations, indicating that heritable factors come in pairs and separate when reproductive cells form.

These observations led to the idea that traits are controlled by discrete units—what we now call genes—that are inherited as separate packets. Mendel described the law of segregation, which explains why a parent’s pair of genes for a trait splits so that each gamete carries one gene, and the offspring receive one gene from each parent. He also noted dominant and recessive relationships, as seen in how certain traits mask others in the offspring. Taken together, these findings laid the groundwork for genetics, the science of how traits are passed down.

Other scientists made important contributions to biology, but Mendel’s experiments specifically established the patterns of inheritance that define genetics. Darwin is known for natural selection and evolution, while Watson and Crick identified the structure of DNA.