Question

part a
what is an allele?
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○ the dominant form of a gene
○ the recessive form of a gene
○ a type of chromosome
○ an alternative version of a gene
○ a variety of pea plant used by mendel
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Explanation:

To determine the correct definition of an allele, we analyze each option:

• "the dominant form of a gene": Alleles can be dominant or recessive, so this is too narrow.
• "the recessive form of a gene": Similarly, alleles aren't only recessive.
• "a type of chromosome": Alleles are related to genes, not chromosomes.
• "an alternative version of a gene": This is the correct definition—genes can have different alleles (versions) that code for different traits.
• "a variety of pea plant used by Mendel": This is irrelevant to the definition of an allele.

Answer:

D. an alternative version of a gene