Question

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?


Genotype are genes

Phenotype are phenes


Genotype is the physical characteristic of the trait

Phenotype is the genes that caused the trait


Genotype is inherited from the parents

Phenotype is strictly based on the environment


Genotype describes the alleles or actual variations of the genes of the trait.

Phenotype is the actual physical appearance of the trait.

Answer 1

Short answer — they’re related but not the same.

Definitions
- Genotype: an organism’s genetic makeup for a particular gene or set of genes (the alleles it carries, including DNA sequence). It’s inherited from the parents (except for new mutations).
- Phenotype: the observable characteristics or traits of an organism (morphology, biochemistry, behavior, physiology, etc.). Phenotype results from the interaction of genotype with the environment and developmental processes.

Now your statements, corrected:

- "Genotype are genes" — Mostly true: genotype refers to the alleles/variants of genes an organism has for a trait.
- "Phenotype are phenes" — Not a useful phrasing. "Phene" is a rarely used term; phenotype is the usual word for the expressed trait.
- "Genotype is the physical characteristic of the trait" — Incorrect. That describes the phenotype.
- "Phenotype is the genes that caused the trait" — Incorrect. The phenotype is the expressed trait; the genotype consists of the genes/alleles that can cause or influence the trait.
- "Genotype is inherited from the parents" — Largely true: the genotype is inherited, though new (de novo) mutations can occur.
- "Phenotype is strictly based on the environment" — Incorrect. Phenotype is influenced by both genotype and environment (and by interactions between them).
- "Genotype describes the alleles or actual variations of the genes of the trait. Phenotype is the actual physical appearance of the trait." — Correct (good succinct statement).

Examples to illustrate
- PKU: people with a certain genotype (mutations in the PAH gene) will develop phenylketonuria unless diet (environment) prevents the harmful phenotype.
- Height: polygenic genotype + nutrition and health during development produce the phenotype (adult height).
- Identical twins: same (or nearly same) genotype but can show phenotypic differences due to environmental or epigenetic effects.

Summary
Genotype = DNA/alleles. Phenotype = the trait you can observe or measure, produced by genotype acting in an environment.