According to mendel's one copy of a gene is passed randomly from each parent to their offspring. this is why gametes have half the usual number of chromosomes. the states that different genes are not connected. in other words, the gene for eye color is not influenced by, nor does it influence, the gene for hair color. this allows gametes to form with a random mixture of traits. the cell division that creates gametes according to these principles is known as a) law of segregation; law of independent assortment; meiosis b) law of segregation; law of independent assortment; mitosis c) law of independent assortment; law of segregation; mitosis d) law of independent assortment; law of segregation; meiosis