Science (086) — AI-generated practice question

I agree with the student's argument.

Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment states that genes for different traits are inherited independently of each other. This is possible because different traits are located on different chromosomes. During gamete formation, chromosomes separate and assort independently into sex cells.

If all genes were on a single continuous DNA strand (one chromosome), all traits would always be inherited together — they would be linked. New combinations like "tall + wrinkled seeds" observed in F2 progeny (as in Mendel's dihybrid cross) would never arise. The existence of separate chromosomes ensures that traits like height and seed shape assort independently, producing new combinations in offspring.

Source: Chapter 8, Section 8.2.2

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• The examiner wants you to connect chromosomes to independent assortment — that's the core biological reasoning.
• Key terms to use: linked genes, independent assortment, gamete formation, chromosomes.
• Refer to the dihybrid cross result (tall + wrinkled / short + round new combinations) as evidence — it shows traits assort independently because they are on different chromosomes.
• Don't just define the law; apply it to the hypothetical single-strand scenario to show why it would fail.