Which monk conducted extensive experiments on heredity?

Which monk conducted extensive experiments on heredity?

• A. Mendel
• B. Darwin
• C. Pasteur
• D. Lamarck

Answer: (A)

In heredity, traits pass from parents to offspring through discrete factors that can be dominant or recessive. Gregor Mendel approached this with a methodical, quantitative study using pea plants, chosen because their traits are clear and generation times are short. He created true-breeding lines, performed controlled cross-pollinations, and counted thousands of offspring to detect patterns. From the results—such as the first generation showing only the dominant trait, followed by a second generation that reveals both traits in a roughly 3-to-1 ratio—he concluded that heredity involves separate factors that segregate when gametes form. This led to the idea of alleles and the principle of segregation, forming a foundation for genetics. His work was especially notable because his monk status in a monastery provided the time and stability to carry out long, careful experiments. In contrast, Darwin explored how traits influence survival and reproduction on a broad evolutionary scale, Lamarck proposed inheritance of acquired characteristics, and Pasteur focused on microbes and fermentation. Mendel’s focused, controlled experiments make him the best answer for explaining heredity.

In heredity, traits pass from parents to offspring through discrete factors that can be dominant or recessive. Gregor Mendel approached this with a methodical, quantitative study using pea plants, chosen because their traits are clear and generation times are short. He created true-breeding lines, performed controlled cross-pollinations, and counted thousands of offspring to detect patterns. From the results—such as the first generation showing only the dominant trait, followed by a second generation that reveals both traits in a roughly 3-to-1 ratio—he concluded that heredity involves separate factors that segregate when gametes form. This led to the idea of alleles and the principle of segregation, forming a foundation for genetics. His work was especially notable because his monk status in a monastery provided the time and stability to carry out long, careful experiments. In contrast, Darwin explored how traits influence survival and reproduction on a broad evolutionary scale, Lamarck proposed inheritance of acquired characteristics, and Pasteur focused on microbes and fermentation. Mendel’s focused, controlled experiments make him the best answer for explaining heredity.