What is the main premise of the blending theory of inheritance that predominated before 1900?
A) We inherit traits from only one parent.
B) Traits are inherited via a mixing of parental blood.
C) Parental chromosomes undergo recombination to produce blended chromosomes in their offspring.
D) Traits may skip a generation due to the blending of paternal and maternal phenotypes.
E) Paternal and maternal chromosomes separate independently in meiosis, creating gametes with a blend of paternal and maternal chromosomes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The blending theory of inheritance, which was widely accepted before the rediscovery of Mendel's work, posited that offspring inherit a mix of traits from their parents, akin to the way fluids mix. This theory suggested that parental traits were blended in the offspring, much like mixing paints, which would result in a uniform population over generations.

What Is the Main Premise of the Blending Theory of Inheritance