Step 1: Linkage refers to the tendency of genes that are located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis.
Step 2: Genes that are linked show a pattern of inheritance different from Mendel's law of independent assortment. Linked genes do not segregate independently but are transmitted together to offspring.
Step 3: The strength of linkage depends on the distance between the genes on the chromosome. The closer the genes are, the stronger the linkage.