What term describes the physical characteristics of an organism based on its genotype?

The term that describes the physical characteristics of an organism based on its genotype is "phenotype." The phenotype encompasses all observable traits such as morphology, development, biochemical properties, and behavior. These traits result from the interaction of the organism's genotype, which is the genetic makeup, and the environment in which the organism lives.

Understanding phenotype is essential in genetics because it reflects how specific alleles (variations of a gene) express themselves in the organism. For example, if an organism has a genotype that encodes for a certain color of flower, the visible color that we actually see on the flowers formed is the organism's phenotype. This distinction is vital as it illustrates the practical outcome of genetic information and provides insight into how traits are inherited and can be expressed.