Define phenotype and genotype, and explain how they differ.
Phenotype refers to an organism's observable traits, while genotype is the specific set of alleles an organism possesses. Phenotype can be influenced by genotype and the environment.
Explain the concept of a gene pool in population genetics.
The gene pool is the total collection of all alleles for a particular gene in a population, regardless of which individuals they are in.
If a population has 100 AA, 250 Aa, and 150 aa individuals, how many total alleles are present?
There are 500 individuals, each with 2 alleles, so the total number of alleles is 1,000.
What does it mean if an allele is 'fixed' in a population?
An allele is 'fixed' if its frequency is 1, meaning it is the only allele present for that gene in the population.
What is the difference between phenotype and genotype in an organism?
Phenotype refers to an organism's observable traits, while genotype is the specific set of alleles an organism possesses.
How is a gene pool defined in the context of population genetics?
A gene pool is the total collection of all alleles for a particular gene in a population, regardless of which individuals they are in.
If a population has 100 AA, 250 Aa, and 150 aa individuals, how many total alleles are present?
There are 500 individuals, each with 2 alleles, so the total number of alleles is 1,000.
What does it mean if an allele is 'fixed' in a population?
An allele is 'fixed' if its frequency is 1, meaning it is the only allele present for that gene in the population.
How do you calculate the frequency of a specific allele in a population?
Divide the number of copies of the allele by the total number of alleles for that gene in the population.
What is the relationship between the frequencies of two alleles (p and q) for a gene in a population?
The sum of the frequencies of the two alleles (p and q) always equals 1.