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Multiple Choice
Which of the following populations is most likely to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
A
A large population of randomly mating organisms with no mutation, migration, or natural selection
B
A population undergoing strong natural selection for a particular trait
C
A small population experiencing frequent mutations
D
A population where individuals preferentially mate with close relatives
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. It describes a population that is not evolving, meaning allele frequencies remain constant over generations. For this to occur, certain conditions must be met: large population size, random mating, no mutations, no migration, and no natural selection.
Step 2: Analyze the first option: 'A large population of randomly mating organisms with no mutation, migration, or natural selection.' This meets all the conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, as it specifies a large population, random mating, and the absence of evolutionary forces like mutation, migration, and natural selection.
Step 3: Evaluate the second option: 'A population undergoing strong natural selection for a particular trait.' Natural selection disrupts Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium because it changes allele frequencies by favoring certain traits over others.
Step 4: Assess the third option: 'A small population experiencing frequent mutations.' A small population is more prone to genetic drift, and frequent mutations introduce new alleles, both of which violate Hardy-Weinberg conditions.
Step 5: Examine the fourth option: 'A population where individuals preferentially mate with close relatives.' Non-random mating, such as inbreeding, alters genotype frequencies and violates the random mating condition required for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.