A segment of DNA that influences specific traits is known as what?

A segment of DNA that influences specific traits is classified as a gene. Genes serve as the fundamental units of heredity and are composed of sequences of nucleotides that encode information for the synthesis of proteins, which ultimately determine an organism's traits. Each gene can contain instructions that affect physical characteristics, biochemical processes, and even behaviors of the organism.

In contrast, mutations refer to alterations in the nucleotide sequence of DNA and can impact gene function or expression, but they do not define a segment of DNA themselves. The genome encompasses the complete set of genes and genetic material present in an organism, but it is broader than a single gene, as it includes all hereditary information of that organism. Chromosomes are structures within cells that house genes; they are long DNA molecules that carry many genes but are not themselves defined as segments that influence specific traits. These distinctions clarify why the correct term for a segment of DNA that directly influences traits is a gene.