Populations

Question 1

What is a population?

Answer 1

A group of organisms of the same species occupying a particular space at a particular time that can potentially interbreed

Question 2

What is a gene pool?

Answer 2

The total number of genes of every individual in an interbreeding population.

Question 3

What is allele frequency?

Answer 3

A measure of how common an allele is within a population. Usually given as a decimal between 0 and 1.

Question 4

What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

Answer 4

A mathematical model, which predicts that allele frequencies will not change from generation to generation.

Question 5

How can it be calculated?

Answer 5

Formulas:
p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1
p + q = 1

p = dominant allele 
q = recessive allele

Question 6

What are the conditions under which the Hardy-Weinberg principle applies?

Answer 6

• The population must be very large
• The population must be isolated from other populations (no immigration or emigration)
• There must be no mutations
• Mating must be random
• There must be no natural selection (every individual has an equal chance of survival)