Questions: Multiple Choice 5 points What statement best describes why the process of meiosis is important to Mendel's law of independent assortment of traits on different chromosomes? Homologous pairs of chromosomes line up at the metaphase plate in meiosis. Meiosis provides a way for alleles to maintain the associations they had in the parental generation. In meiosis, the segregation of one pair of homologous chromosomes affects the segregation patterns of other pairs. In meiosis, how each pair of homologous chromosomes segregates is unaffected by what other pairs do. In a "fair meiosis", there is an equal probability of each allele going to the gametes. Previous Submit

The answer is the fourth one: In meiosis, how each pair of homologous chromosomes segregates is unaffected by what other pairs do.

Explanation for each option:

1. Homologous pairs of chromosomes line up at the metaphase plate in meiosis.

   • This statement describes a part of the process of meiosis, specifically metaphase I, but it does not directly explain the principle of independent assortment. It is more about the physical arrangement of chromosomes rather than their independent segregation.

2. Meiosis provides a way for alleles to maintain the associations they had in the parental generation.

   • This statement is incorrect in the context of independent assortment. Meiosis actually allows for new combinations of alleles, breaking the associations present in the parental generation, which is contrary to maintaining them.

3. In meiosis, the segregation of one pair of homologous chromosomes affects the segregation patterns of other pairs.

   • This statement is incorrect because it contradicts the principle of independent assortment. Independent assortment means that the segregation of one pair of chromosomes does not affect the segregation of another pair.

4. In meiosis, how each pair of homologous chromosomes segregates is unaffected by what other pairs do.

   • This is the correct statement. It directly describes the principle of independent assortment, which states that the segregation of alleles for one gene occurs independently of the segregation of alleles for another gene.

5. In a "fair meiosis", there is an equal probability of each allele going to the gametes.

   • While this statement is true regarding the equal probability of allele segregation, it does not specifically address the concept of independent assortment, which is about the independent segregation of different chromosome pairs.

In summary, the correct answer is the fourth option, as it accurately describes the principle of independent assortment in meiosis.