The factors that are passed from parent to offspring are called what?

• A. Genes
• B. Alleles
• C. Nucleotides
• D. Chromosomes

Answer: (A)

Genes are the units of heredity that are passed from parent to offspring. They are specific sequences of DNA that carry instructions for making or regulating traits and are located on chromosomes, ensuring that this information is transmitted to the next generation during reproduction. Alleles are different versions of a gene, which explains why traits can vary among individuals, but the thing that's directly passed on is the gene itself. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA, not the inherited unit by themselves, and chromosomes are the structures that package DNA and organize many genes for proper segregation during cell division. So the best answer is that the factors passed to offspring are genes.