What does the Law of Dominance state about traits?

Study for the Mississippi MAAP Biology Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The Law of Dominance states that in a pair of alleles, one trait (the dominant trait) can mask the presence of another trait (the recessive trait) in the phenotype of an organism. This means that when both alleles are present, the dominant trait is the one that is expressed or observed more frequently in the offspring.

For example, if we have a dominant allele for purple flower color and a recessive allele for white flower color in pea plants, the plants will exhibit the purple color as long as at least one dominant allele is present. This concept illustrates that certain traits dominate and therefore appear more often in the phenotype when both a dominant and recessive allele are present.

Understanding the Law of Dominance is foundational for grasping how traits are passed from parents to offspring, particularly in Mendelian genetics where dominant and recessive traits dictate the observable characteristics.

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