Question

how do we know that alleles actually separate during gamete formation? if the alleles did not separate, recessive alleles would never reappear. scientists are unsure whether the alleles separate. zygotes will not reach maturity if the alleles do not separate.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: If alleles didn't separate, recessive alleles (from heterozygous parents, e.g., Aa) would not be able to be passed on as single alleles to gametes. So, in subsequent generations, when two recessive alleles (from gametes) combine, the recessive trait would never reappear. This aligns with Mendel's law of segregation, which states alleles separate during gamete formation, allowing recessive traits to reappear in later generations.
• Option 2: Scientists are sure about allele separation due to experimental evidence (like Mendel's experiments), so this is incorrect.
• Option 3: There's no evidence that zygotes fail to mature if alleles don't separate; the key is the reappearance of recessive traits, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

A. If the alleles did not separate, recessive alleles would never reappear.