Divide the contents of a large bag of different-colored candies randomly and approximately equally among the members of the group. Do not pick specific candy colors, but simply empty the contents of the bag onto a table and quickly divide the pile. If you are doing this exercise by yourself, divide the contents of the bag into five piles. Have each person count the number of candies of each color in they pile and calculate the frequency of each color in the pile.
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
21. Population Genetics
Allelic Frequency Changes
Problem 41a
Textbook Question
Put all the candies used in Problem 40 into a single mound and then divide them into four equal piles, this time being sure that the frequency of each color is the same in each pile. Label two of these piles 'male' and the other two 'female.' Half of the group will take one male and one female pile, and the other half of the group will take the other two piles. Each half of the group will carry out its own experiments: Blindly draw one candy from the male pile and one candy from the female pile. Record the colors of the two candies as though they were a genotype. Put the candies back into their respective piles.

1
Combine all the candies from Problem 40 into a single mound to ensure all colors are represented.
Divide the mound into four equal piles, ensuring that the frequency of each candy color is the same in each pile. This step ensures uniform distribution of colors across all piles.
Label two of the piles as 'male' and the other two as 'female' to distinguish their roles in the experiment.
Split the group into two halves. Assign one male and one female pile to each half of the group for their experiments.
For the experiment, each participant blindly draws one candy from the male pile and one candy from the female pile. Record the colors of the candies as though they represent a genotype (e.g., color from male = allele 1, color from female = allele 2). Return the candies to their respective piles after recording.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Genotype and Phenotype
Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the alleles it possesses for a particular trait. Phenotype, on the other hand, is the observable expression of that genotype, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In the context of the candy experiment, the colors of the candies represent different alleles, and drawing them simulates the process of genetic inheritance.
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Mendelian Inheritance
Mendelian inheritance is the set of principles that describe how traits are passed from parents to offspring through alleles. It includes concepts such as dominance, segregation, and independent assortment. In this experiment, the equal division of candy colors into male and female piles mimics the segregation of alleles during gamete formation, allowing for the study of inheritance patterns.
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Random Sampling
Random sampling is a technique used to select a subset of individuals from a larger population in a way that each individual has an equal chance of being chosen. This method is crucial in experiments to ensure that results are unbiased and representative. In the candy experiment, blindly drawing candies from the piles exemplifies random sampling, which helps to simulate genetic variation in offspring.
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