What is the term for the process in which genetic material is passed from parents to offspring?

The process in which genetic material is passed from parents to offspring is known as inheritance. This foundational principle of genetics explains how traits and characteristics are transmitted through generations. Inheritance involves the transfer of genes—the basic units of heredity—contained within DNA from the parents' gametes to the offspring during reproduction.

In contrast, adaptation refers to the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment over time, often through evolutionary changes. Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies within a population, particularly in small populations, which can lead to the loss of genetic variation. Evolution encompasses the broader concept of change in the inherited traits of a population over generations, driven by mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, mutations, and gene flow.

By understanding that inheritance specifically refers to the transfer of genetic material, you can clearly differentiate it from these other important concepts in biology.