Punnett squares only work if Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment is followed.TrueFalse

Understanding the Statement

1. Clarify Mendel's Laws: Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment states that alleles for different traits are segregated independently of one another during the formation of gametes. This means that the inheritance of one trait (gene) does not influence the inheritance of another trait (gene).

2. Concept of Punnett Squares: A Punnett square is a graphical representation used to predict the genotypes of offspring from two parent organisms. It is particularly useful for determining the probability of an offspring possessing a particular genotype based on the parents' genotypes.

Analyzing the Statement

3. Relationship between Punnett Squares and Independent Assortment: Punnett squares are effective tools in applying Mendelian genetics because they assume that the traits in question assort independently. If this law holds true, predicting genotype and phenotype ratios becomes straightforward using a Punnett square.

4. Consequences of Violation: If the Law of Independent Assortment does not hold due to linked genes (genes that are located on the same chromosome), the assumptions underlying Punnett squares may lead to inaccurate predictions about trait inheritance.

Conclusion

5. Final Answer: The statement is True; Punnett squares are based on the premise of independent assortment, and their effectiveness is compromised if this law is not followed.