Multiple Choice
In a population at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, if the frequency of the g allele is 0.6, what percentage of all alleles in the population are g?
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21. Population Genetics
Hardy Weinberg
Multiple Choice
Under ideal Hardy-Weinberg conditions (very large population, random mating, no mutation, no migration, and no natural selection), how do allele frequencies change over time?
A
They change each generation due to segregation and recombination even without other evolutionary forces.
B
They remain constant from generation to generation.
C
They always shift to match genotype frequencies so that and after one generation.
D
They increase or decrease predictably toward fixation because random mating changes allele frequencies.
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall the Hardy-Weinberg principle, which states that allele and genotype frequencies in a population remain constant from generation to generation under ideal conditions: very large population size, random mating, no mutation, no migration, and no natural selection.
Understand that allele frequencies are represented by \(p\) and \(q\), where \(p + q = 1\), corresponding to the two alleles of a gene.
Recognize that genotype frequencies can be predicted from allele frequencies using the Hardy-Weinberg equation: \(p^{2} + 2pq + q^{2} = 1\), where \(p^{2}\) is the frequency of the homozygous dominant genotype, \$2pq\( is the heterozygous genotype frequency, and \)q^{2}$ is the homozygous recessive genotype frequency.
Note that while genotype frequencies may change in the first generation of random mating to reach Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the allele frequencies \(p\) and \(q\) themselves do not change over time under these ideal conditions.
Conclude that because no evolutionary forces are acting on the population, allele frequencies remain constant from generation to generation.
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