Question

What three things are true about the genetic composition of a population that is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Answer 1

1. No mutation. No new alleles are generated by mutation, nor are genes duplicated or deleted.

2. Random mating. Organisms mate randomly with each other, with no preference for particular genotypes.

3. No gene flow. Neither individuals nor their gametes (e.g., windborne pollen) enter or exit the population.

4. Very large population size. The population should be effectively infinite in size.

5. No natural selection. All alleles confer equal fitness (make organisms equally likely to survive and reproduce).