What does Mendel's second law state about the alleles of genes?

Mendel's second law, known as the Law of Independent Assortment, asserts that the alleles of different genes assort independently of one another during the formation of gametes. This means that the inheritance of one trait (or gene) does not affect the inheritance of another trait. For example, if you are considering two genes, one for seed shape and another for seed color, the allele you inherit for seed shape from one parent does not influence which allele you get for seed color; each pair of alleles segregates independently.

This principle applies when the genes are located on different chromosomes or are far enough apart on the same chromosome that they assort independently during meiosis. As a result, this characteristic allows for a variety of combinations of traits in the offspring.

In contrast, the other options suggest concepts that stray from Mendel's findings. The second option implies that all alleles are expressed, which is not universally true due to dominance and recessiveness influencing expression. The third option suggests that alleles are inherited together, which opposes the idea of independent assortment. Finally, the fourth option indicates that alleles from one gene can influence another, which reflects gene interactions rather than the independent assortment principle. Thus, recognizing Mendel's law is crucial