A characteristic that varies from one individual to another is called what?

• A. Gene
• B. Allele
• C. Trait
• D. Genotype

Answer: (C)

Variation among individuals in a population is described by a trait. A trait is any observable or measurable characteristic that can differ from one person to another, such as height or eye color. Genes are the units of inheritance that help determine traits; alleles are different versions of a gene that can produce different forms of a trait; genotype is the specific genetic makeup an individual has. The trait itself is the observable difference, while genes, alleles, and genotype are the genetic factors that influence those differences. Some traits arise from multiple genes and environmental effects, which explains why there can be a range of appearances for a given trait.