How many pairs of contrasting characters in pea plants were studied by Mendel in his experiments? (A) Six (B) Eight (C) Seven (D) Five

Options

A. six
B. eight
C. seven
D. five

Answer

To solve the question of how many pairs of contrasting characters in pea plants were studied by Mendel in his experiments, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Characters Studied by Mendel**: Mendel studied various traits in pea plants. The main contrasting characters he focused on include:
- Flower color (Purple vs. White)
- Plant height (Tall vs. Short)
- Seed color (Yellow vs. Green)
- Seed shape (Round vs. Wrinkled)
- Pod color (Green vs. Yellow)
- Pod shape (Inflated vs. Flattered)
- Flower position (Axial vs. Terminal)

2. **Count the Pairs of Contrasting Characters**: From the list above, we can count the pairs of contrasting characters:
- Flower color: 1 pair
- Plant height: 1 pair
- Seed color: 1 pair
- Seed shape: 1 pair
- Pod color: 1 pair
- Pod shape: 1 pair
- Flower position: 1 pair

Adding these together gives us a total of 7 pairs of contrasting characters.

3. **Select the Correct Answer**: The options provided are:
- (A) Six
- (B) Eight
- (C) Seven
- (D) Five

Since we have determined that Mendel studied 7 pairs of contrasting characters, the correct answer is (C) Seven.

### Final Answer:
The correct answer is (C) Seven.

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