What is Mendel's first law of inheritance called?

Mendel's first law of inheritance is known as the Law of Segregation. This law states that during the formation of gametes, the two alleles for a trait segregate from each other so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. This fundamental principle helps explain how traits are inherited from one generation to the next.

During the process of meiosis, the homologous chromosomes, which carry the alleles, are separated into different gametes. As a result, offspring inherit one allele from each parent, leading to genetic variation and the possibility of different phenotypes depending on the combinations of alleles.

Understanding this law lays the groundwork for more advanced topics in genetics, such as the behavior of alleles during inheritance and how dominant and recessive traits are expressed in offspring.