Which term encompasses the actual physical representation of genetic traits?

The term that refers to the actual physical representation of genetic traits is "phenotype." This encompasses all observable characteristics of an organism, which can include traits such as height, color, shape, and other physical attributes. The phenotype is a product of the interaction between an organism's genotype (the genetic makeup) and the environment.

For example, two organisms may have the same genotype but display different phenotypes due to environmental factors. This concept is fundamental in genetics as it highlights the distinction between the genetic potential of an organism and its expressed characteristics.

Alleles represent the different forms of a gene, and while they contribute to the phenotype, they do not encompass the observable traits themselves. A heterozygote refers specifically to an organism that has two different alleles for a particular gene, which again is a genetic concept rather than a direct representation of physical traits. Genotype, on the other hand, describes the genetic constitution of an organism but does not indicate how these genes are expressed in terms of physical characteristics.