Which term refers to chromosome pairs carrying genes for the same traits at corresponding loci?

• A. Chromosome
• B. Homologous chromosomes
• C. Chromatids
• D. Chromatin

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the pairing of chromosomes that carry the same genes at the same positions on their length, one inherited from each parent. In a diploid organism, these partners form a homologous pair and are similar in size and shape, with the same genes at corresponding loci, though they may carry different alleles. This pairing is what allows them to align and recombine during meiosis.

The term that describes this paired relationship is homologous chromosomes. They are not just any chromosome, and they are not the identical sister copies formed after DNA replication (those are chromatids). Chromatin refers to the relaxed combination of DNA and proteins when the chromosome isn’t condensed. So homologous chromosomes best fit the description of carrying genes for the same traits at corresponding loci.