# Explain how Gregor Mendel's work contributed to our understanding of how characteristics are inherited. Include in your answer why his findings were not accepted by scientists during his lifetime.

> AQA GCSE Biology (8461) — 4.6.3 The development of understanding of genetics and evolution · Explain · 4 marks

> Gregor Mendel was a 19th-century monk who carried out breeding experiments on pea plants. He proposed that characteristics were passed from parents to offspring in discrete units. His work was largely ignored until after his death.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Mendel carried out breeding experiments (on pea plants) and observed patterns of inheritance across generations
2. Mendel proposed that characteristics are controlled by discrete units / factors (now called genes or alleles) that are passed from parents to offspring
3. His work was not accepted because scientists did not know about genes / chromosomes / DNA at the time, so there was no mechanism to explain his findings
4. His work was rediscovered / accepted after his death when the role of chromosomes in inheritance was understood

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