What is Mendel's law of segregation?

Mendel's law of segregation states that allele pairs separate during gamete formation, leading to each gamete receiving only one allele from each pair. This principle is fundamental to understanding inheritance, as it demonstrates how traits are passed from parents to offspring. When an organism produces gametes, the alleles for each gene segregate so that each gamete carries only one allele for each trait. This ensures that when fertilization occurs, the offspring receives two alleles for each trait—one from each parent, which can then express various combinations of these traits.

Understanding this law is crucial in genetics because it clarifies how combinations of traits are inherited, allowing for the prediction of the likelihood of certain traits appearing in offspring. In contrast, the other provided choices misinterpret how traits and alleles behave during reproduction, suggesting incorrect mechanisms of inheritance.