Genetic differences within a species are called ______.

• A. Genetic variation
• B. Phenotype
• C. Wave
• D. Chromosome

Answer: (A)

Genetic differences within a species are called genetic variation. This means there are different versions of genes, or alleles, among individuals, which creates a range of genetic makeups. These differences come from mutations and the mixing of genes during sexual reproduction, so offspring inherit a blend of parental genes. The observable traits you can see, like eye color or height, come from the combination of these genes and sometimes the environment, and that observable set of traits is called the phenotype. A chromosome, while a key structure that carries many genes, is not the term for the differences themselves. So the idea that best fits is genetic variation, the diversity of genetic information among individuals.