Multiple Choice
If the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is met in a population, what is the net effect?
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21. Population Genetics
Hardy Weinberg
Multiple Choice
In the context of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what does allele frequency refer to in a population?
A
The proportion of individuals in the population that are heterozygous for a gene (e.g., ).
B
The proportion of all copies of a given gene that are a particular allele (e.g., the frequency of allele is and the frequency of allele is , with ).
C
The probability that two randomly chosen individuals will have the same genotype.
D
The number of different alleles present at a locus in the population (allelic richness).
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that allele frequency refers to how common a particular allele is in the entire population's gene pool, not just in individual organisms.
Recall that in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, allele frequencies are represented by symbols such as \(p\) and \(q\), where \(p\) is the frequency of one allele (e.g., \(A\)) and \(q\) is the frequency of the other allele (e.g., \(a\)).
Recognize that the sum of all allele frequencies for a gene must equal 1, which can be expressed as \(p + q = 1\).
Differentiate allele frequency from genotype frequency; for example, the proportion of heterozygous individuals is given by \$2pq$, which is a genotype frequency, not an allele frequency.
Conclude that allele frequency is the proportion of all copies of a gene in the population that are a specific allele, reflecting the genetic composition at the allele level rather than the individual or genotype level.
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