Which of the following describes Mendel's law of independent segregation?

Mendel's law of independent segregation, often referred to as the law of segregation, states that during the formation of gametes, the alleles for a trait separate so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. This means that an organism with two alleles for a trait will produce gametes that contain either one allele or the other, but not both.

The selected answer accurately reflects this principle by emphasizing that alleles occur in pairs and segregate during gamete formation. This understanding is foundational to genetics, as it explains how offspring inherit one allele from each parent for a given trait. Gamete formation entails the separation of allele pairs, which leads to variation in traits among the offspring.

This principle is crucial for predicting inheritance patterns in genetic crosses and forms the basis for understanding more complex genetic interactions and combinations that can arise in breeding experiments. The clarity of this concept allows for predictions about genotypic ratios among progeny, a cornerstone in the study of heredity.