National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

The law of dominance in genetics was proposed by which scientist?

1. Darwin

2. Watson

3. Mendel

4. Huxley

The correct answer is: Mendel

The law of dominance in genetics was proposed by Gregor Mendel, who is often referred to as the father of modern genetics. Mendel conducted experiments with pea plants in the mid-1800s and formulated the foundational principles of heredity. The law of dominance states that in a heterozygous individual, one allele (the dominant one) can mask the presence of another allele (the recessive one). This principle was first articulated based on Mendel's observations of traits in his pea plant experiments. Mendel’s work laid the groundwork for the field of genetics, illustrating how traits are inherited from one generation to the next. His conclusions were largely overlooked during his lifetime but became critical in understanding genetic inheritance in later years. In contrast, the other scientists mentioned had different focuses: Darwin is known for his theories on evolution and natural selection, Watson is one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA, and Huxley was a prominent biologist who supported Darwin's theories. While their contributions are significant in the realm of biology, they do not pertain directly to the principles of genetic inheritance as formulated by Mendel.