Question

start by arranging the alleles of two f₁ plants into the sex cells below.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Mendel's Law of Segregation

According to the Law of Segregation, during gamete (sex cell) formation, the two alleles of a gene separate so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. For a heterozygous plant with genotype \( Pp \), the two alleles \( P \) and \( p \) will segregate into different sex cells.

Step2: Determine sex cells for Plant 1 (\( Pp \))

Since Plant 1 has genotype \( Pp \), the possible sex cells (gametes) it can produce are one with allele \( P \) and one with allele \( p \). So the first two boxes (for Plant 1's sex cells) should be \( P \) and \( p \) (in either order).

Step3: Determine sex cells for Plant 2 (\( Pp \))

Similarly, Plant 2 also has genotype \( Pp \). By the Law of Segregation, it will also produce sex cells with alleles \( P \) and \( p \). So the next two boxes (for Plant 2's sex cells) should be \( P \) and \( p \) (in either order).

Answer:

For Plant 1 (\( Pp \)) sex cells: \( P \), \( p \) (order can be reversed)
For Plant 2 (\( Pp \)) sex cells: \( P \), \( p \) (order can be reversed)

(So the four boxes from left to right could be \( P \), \( p \), \( P \), \( p \) or other permutations like \( p \), \( P \), \( p \), \( P \) etc., as long as each \( Pp \) plant produces one \( P \) and one \( p \) gamete.)