Unit 7, Topic 5

Question 1

a model for describing and
predicting allele frequencies in a non evolving population.

Answer 1

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

Question 2

What is the difference between genotype frequencies and phenotype frequencies in a population?

Answer 2

Genotype frequencies refer to how alleles combine. Allele frequencies refer to an alleles relative distribution in the population.

Question 3

Is the Hardy-Weinberg model realistic?

Answer 3

no, it is a theoretical model that is used in comparison to actual data to determine whether a population is undergoing evolution.

Question 4

What are the five conditions that must be met for a population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Answer 4

-no mutations
-random mating
-no natural selection
-extremely large population size
-no gene flow

Question 5

What is the purpose of calculating Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium?

Answer 5

It determines what the genetic makeup of the population would be if it were not evolving. This is then compared to actual data. If there are NO differences, then the population is not evolving. If there are differences, then the population may be evolving.

Question 6

The frequency of individuals who express a recessive disease in a population is 5%. What variable in the Hardy-Weinberg equations does the 5% refer to? Why?

Answer 6

q², because these are individuals in the population that have two recessive alleles.