What is the term for traits expressed in the physical form of an organism?

Prepare for the Science Olympiad Designer Genes Exam with engaging questions and comprehensive explanations. Boost your understanding of genetic principles and excel in your competition!

The term that refers to the traits expressed in the physical form of an organism is phenotype. The phenotype encompasses all observable characteristics, including physical appearance, development, and behavior, which result from the interaction of an organism's genotype (the genetic composition) and the environment.

In contrast to phenotype, genotype specifically denotes the genetic makeup of an organism, which includes both alleles for a given trait, regardless of whether they are expressed physically. Homozygous refers to having two identical alleles for a particular gene, while dominant describes an allele that masks the effect of a recessive allele in a heterozygous pairing. Thus, while these terms relate to genetics, they do not describe the observable characteristics of an organism itself.

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