Which term describes traits that show independent assortment during inheritance?

The term that describes traits that show independent assortment during inheritance is "independent traits." This refers to Mendel's principle of independent assortment, which states that alleles for different traits segregate independently of one another when gametes are formed. This means that the inheritance of one trait does not affect the inheritance of another trait; they are distributed into gametes in various combinations.

For example, if you consider two traits, such as seed shape and seed color in pea plants, the alleles for these traits assort independently during the formation of gametes. As a result, a plant can have a combination of traits that was not present in either parent, demonstrating the concept of independent traits.

This principle is foundational in genetics and helps explain the variation observed in offspring. Understanding independent assortment is crucial for predicting the inheritance patterns of multiple traits and for studying genetic diversity within populations.