Question

Identify the correct option.
i. A heritable feature that varies among individuals is known as character.
ii. Mendel approved of the blending theory.
iii. Traits refer to characters that cannot be inherited.
iv. Chromosomes in an offspring are inherited from both parents due to fertilisation.

• A. Statements i and iv are true
• B. Statements i, iii and iv are true
• C. All statements are true except ii
• D. Only statement iv is false

Answer 1

The correct option is A Statements i and iv are true

In genetics, “characters” of organisms refer to their biological characteristics which can be inherited and it varies among individuals of the same species. The blending theory of inheritance was one of the popular theories regarding inheritance of characters from parents, prevalent during the time of Mendel’s life. It stated that the progeny inherits any characteristic as the average of the parents' values of that characteristic. Mendel, however, questioned this theory and carried out experiments that gave results contrary to the blending theory.
Each variant of a character is called a trait. Traits can be determined by genes or the environment, or more commonly by interactions between them. Thus, they can be inherited.
The nucleus of each cell contains the chromosomes, which contains the DNA, which is the genetic material. Both male and female gametes contain an equal number of chromosomes, which is half the total number of chromosomes on other cells of the body and the zygote formed by their fertilisation inherits the chromosomes of both the gametes equally.