Mendel's law of independent assortment applies to genes that are on different homologous chromosomes. However, two of the traits Mendel studied were actually located on the same chromosome.

a) Explain why genes located more than 50 map units apart behave as though they are not linked.

b) Discuss how can one determine whether these genes are linked and what the relative distance is between them?

Answer: When genes found on different chromosomes, said to be not linked.

When genes seen close together on the same chromosomes said to be linked.

Explanation:

(a)

According to Mendel's law of independent assortment, when genes located more than 50 map units and found on different chromosomes as far apart on the same chromosome so they divide independently and obviously said as not linked.

(b)

It is found that when genes located and seen tightly close together on the same chromosome, known to called as Linked which means that alleles or genes look close together on the same chromosome can be inherited afterwards as a unit frequently than not. For instance, when two genes are linked and become tightly close together by using data from genetic crosses lead to calculate recombination frequency as well.

Similarly, when we finding recombination frequencies for more than one gene pairs, can make linkage maps among them that finally show the relative distance between them.