The mechanism responsible for the transmission of traits from parents to offspring is known as inheritance. This process involves the passing of genetic information encoded in DNA, which dictates the phenotypic characteristics of organisms, such as eye color and height. Inheritance operates through various patterns, including dominant and recessive traits, and can involve both autosomal and sex-linked genes. Understanding inheritance is fundamental to the field of genetics and has significant implications in fields such as agriculture, medicine, and evolutionary biology.