How many pairs of contrasting characters in pea plants were studied by Mendel in his experiments?

Options

A. Seven
B. Five
C. Six
D. Eight

Answer

To answer the question about 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 several traits in pea plants. The main traits he focused on include:
- Shape of the pea (round vs. wrinkled)
- Color of the pea (yellow vs. green)
- Shape of the pod (inflated vs. constricted)
- Color of the pod (green vs. yellow)
- Color of the flower (purple vs. white)
- Plant height (tall vs. dwarf)
- Position of the flower (axial vs. terminal)

2. **Count the Contrasting Pairs**:
Each of the traits mentioned above has two contrasting forms. Therefore, we can count the pairs:
- Shape of the pea: 1 pair
- Color of the pea: 1 pair
- Shape of the pod: 1 pair
- Color of the pod: 1 pair
- Color of the flower: 1 pair
- Plant height: 1 pair
- Position of the flower: 1 pair

3. **Total Number of Pairs**:
Adding these pairs together gives us:
- 1 (shape of pea) + 1 (color of pea) + 1 (shape of pod) + 1 (color of pod) + 1 (color of flower) + 1 (plant height) + 1 (position of flower) = 7 pairs

4. **Conclusion**:
Therefore, Mendel studied a total of **7 pairs of contrasting characters** in pea plants.

### Final Answer:
Mendel studied **7 pairs of contrasting characters** in pea plants.

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