Which gene is typically expressed in the offspring?

The dominant gene is typically expressed in the offspring because a dominant allele will mask the effect of a recessive allele when both are present. This means that if an individual inherits a dominant allele from one parent, that trait will be exhibited, regardless of whether the other inherited allele is dominant or recessive.

In genetic terms, dominant alleles are represented by uppercase letters, while recessive alleles are represented by lowercase letters. For example, if 'A' is a dominant allele and 'a' is a recessive allele, the presence of 'A' in the genotype (AA or Aa) will result in the expression of the dominant trait.

This characteristic is fundamental to Mendelian inheritance and explains why specific traits can be consistently passed on to offspring when there is a dominant allele involved. The other types of genes listed, such as recessive and linked genes, play different roles in inheritance but do not have the same guaranteed expression in the offspring as dominant genes do. Incomplete dominance, while interesting in its effects (where the heterozygous phenotype is a blend), also does not determine expression in the same straightforward manner as dominant genes.