What are genes called that show their effect even if there is only one allele for that trait in the pair?

• A. Recessive Genes
• B. Genetic Traits
• C. Dominant Genes
• D. Chromosomal Genes

Answer: (C)

Genes that show their effects even when only one allele is present in the pair are referred to as dominant genes. This means that if an individual inherits a dominant allele from just one parent, that trait will manifest in the phenotype, or the observable characteristics of the individual.

Dominant genes effectively "overpower" their recessive counterparts; therefore, when both a dominant and a recessive allele are present for a specific trait, the dominant allele will dictate the expression of that trait. For instance, if the trait for tallness is dominant (represented as T) and the trait for shortness is recessive (represented as t), an individual with either two dominant alleles (TT) or one dominant and one recessive allele (Tt) will display the tall phenotype.

Understanding the nature of dominant genes is crucial in genetics, especially when predicting traits in offspring, as they play a pivotal role in inheritance patterns.