The inherited factors that are transmitted in an organism from generation to generation are called its

• A. DNA
• B. Genotype
• C. Phenotype
• D. Chromosome

Answer: (B)

Inherited information that is passed from parents to offspring is captured by the genotype—the specific set of genes and alleles an individual carries. This genotype is what gets transmitted through reproductive cells to the next generation, shaping what traits can be inherited. The phenotype, by contrast, is the outward traits you see, influenced by the genotype and the environment. DNA is the molecule that stores those genetic instructions, and chromosomes are the structures that package DNA inside cells. But when describing the factors passed down through generations, the genotype best represents the inherited genetic content.