Which term describes a trait that masks other forms when present in the genotype?

Which term describes a trait that masks other forms when present in the genotype?

• A. Recessive trait
• B. Dominant trait
• C. Probability
• D. Homozygous

Answer: (B)

Dominance describes a situation where one allele’s effects hide the other in the genotype. When a dominant allele is present, it determines the phenotype and masks the recessive allele’s effect. For example, if the tall allele is dominant over the short allele, any genotype with at least one tall allele results in a tall phenotype, while only two short alleles produce short height. The recessive trait is expressed only when no dominant allele is present. Probability is about predicting outcomes, not describing how alleles interact, and homozygous just means two identical alleles, which doesn’t by itself imply masking.

Dominance describes a situation where one allele’s effects hide the other in the genotype. When a dominant allele is present, it determines the phenotype and masks the recessive allele’s effect. For example, if the tall allele is dominant over the short allele, any genotype with at least one tall allele results in a tall phenotype, while only two short alleles produce short height. The recessive trait is expressed only when no dominant allele is present. Probability is about predicting outcomes, not describing how alleles interact, and homozygous just means two identical alleles, which doesn’t by itself imply masking.