Differentiate between genotype and phenotype.

Differentiate between genotype and phenotype.

• A. Genotype is the genetic makeup (alleles); phenotype is the observable trait.
• B. Phenotype is the genetic makeup; genotype is the external appearance.
• C. Genotype describes phenotype; phenotype describes genotype.
• D. Genotype is the set of proteins; phenotype is the set of carbohydrates.

Answer: (A)

Genotype is the genetic makeup—the specific alleles an organism carries for each gene. Phenotype is the observable trait or characteristic that results from gene expression (and can be influenced by the environment). For example, a plant may have genotypes TT or Tt for height, but its phenotype will be tall if those alleles express the tall trait, or short if the genotype is tt. The distinction is that genotype is the underlying genetic information, while phenotype is what you can see or measure. Other descriptions swap these ideas or describe unrelated components (like proteins or carbohydrates), which doesn’t capture the basic difference between inherited genetic information and observable traits.

Genotype is the genetic makeup—the specific alleles an organism carries for each gene. Phenotype is the observable trait or characteristic that results from gene expression (and can be influenced by the environment). For example, a plant may have genotypes TT or Tt for height, but its phenotype will be tall if those alleles express the tall trait, or short if the genotype is tt. The distinction is that genotype is the underlying genetic information, while phenotype is what you can see or measure. Other descriptions swap these ideas or describe unrelated components (like proteins or carbohydrates), which doesn’t capture the basic difference between inherited genetic information and observable traits.