What does Mendel's law of independent assortment state?

Mendel's law of independent assortment states that alleles of different genes segregate or assort independently of one another during the formation of gametes. This principle emerges from Mendelian genetics, specifically from experiments he conducted with pea plants. When looking at traits that are governed by different genes, such as seed shape and seed color, Mendel found that the inheritance of one trait did not influence the inheritance of another trait.

In essence, when gametes are formed, the distribution of alleles for one gene happens without regard to the distribution of alleles for another gene. This leads to a variety of genetic combinations in the offspring, as each parent contributes a mix of alleles. This law is foundational to the understanding of genetic variation and is a key concept in predicting the outcomes of genetic crosses.

This principle stands in contrast to the idea that genes might be physically linked on the same chromosome, which could cause them to be inherited together. Traits being tightly linked due to their physical proximity on a chromosome would violate the law of independent assortment, thus reinforcing why the correct understanding centers around the independent assortment of alleles for different genes.