The concept of heredity based on transmission of genes (alleles) according to Mendelian principles is called which?

• A. Particulate inheritance
• B. Mendel's law of segregation
• C. Punnett square
• D. Linkage

Answer: (A)

Particulate inheritance captures the idea that heredity operates through discrete factors—alleles—that are passed from parents to offspring in distinct units. Mendel showed that traits exist in separate forms and are transmitted without blending, which is why we describe this pattern as particulate—in contrast to any blending idea. This broad concept is what Mendel’s work supports, with the law of segregation explaining how these alleles separate into gametes so offspring receive one allele from each parent. Tools like Punnett squares are just methods to predict outcomes, while linkage concerns genes that are close together on a chromosome and tend to be inherited together, which is a nuance within the broader Mendelian framework.