Which concept states that different genes are distributed randomly and independently when forming gametes?

• A. Law of Dominance
• B. Law of Segregation
• C. Law of Independent Assortment
• D. Meiosis

Answer: (C)

Different genes distribute into gametes independently during meiosis, so the allele passed for one gene doesn’t affect which allele is passed for another. This random separation of gene variants leads to many possible combinations in offspring and is the basis of genetic variation. This idea is known as the Law of Independent Assortment. It works best for genes on different chromosomes or far apart on the same chromosome, where their assortment really happens without influence from each other. If genes are linked on the same chromosome, they’re often inherited together unless crossing over occurs, which is why independence isn’t absolute in all cases. The Law of Dominance explains how dominant alleles mask recessive ones, not how genes separate. The Law of Segregation says alleles for a single gene separate into gametes. Meiosis is the process that forms gametes, not the rule about how genes distribute.