Which statement is not one of Mendel's classic genetic principles?

• A. The Law of Segregation
• B. The Law of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics
• C. The Law of Independent Assortment
• D. The Law of Dominance

Answer: (B)

Mendelian genetics describes how discrete alleles are passed from parents to offspring: those alleles segregate into gametes so each offspring gets one allele per gene, and alleles for different genes can assort independently during gamete formation. The dominance relationship explains why a heterozygote may display the dominant phenotype, with the recessive trait hidden unless two copies are present. The statement about inheriting traits acquired during life is not part of this framework; it reflects Lamarckian thinking, not Mendelian genetics. Mendel’s experiments showed inheritance follows patterns derived from allele transmission, not changes gained through use or disuse. Therefore, that statement is not one of Mendel’s classic genetic principles.