Here's a breakdown:

* Gene: A segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or functional RNA molecule.

* Allele: A variation of a gene. Since we inherit one copy of a gene from each parent, we have two alleles for each gene. These alleles can be the same (homozygous) or different (heterozygous).

* Example: The gene for eye color has multiple alleles, including brown, blue, green, and others. Each individual inherits two alleles for eye color, one from each parent.

Let me know if you have any other questions!