The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is about p q = 1. True or false
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
False. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle states that in a population, allele frequencies will remain constant from one generation to the next in the absence of evolutionary influences. The equilibrium is represented by the equation:
p² + 2pq + q² = 1
Here, p and q are the frequencies of the two alleles (typically dominant and recessive) for a given gene, and p², 2pq, and q² represent the frequencies of the genotypes (homozygous dominant, heterozygous, and homozygous recessive, respectively).
The equation p + q = 1 is often used to express the relationship between the allele frequencies. This indicates that the sum of the frequency of the dominant allele p and the recessive allele q must be 1, as they represent all the possible alleles for a gene.
However, p q = 1 is incorrect because it suggests a multiplicative relationship between the frequencies of the two alleles, which is not a part of the Hardy-Weinberg principle. Instead, the equation for allele frequencies is:
p + q = 1
So, while p and q represent the frequencies of the two alleles in a population, their sum must be 1, not their product. If the product of p and q were equal to 1, it would imply that p and q would both have to be 1, which contradicts the concept of allele variation in the population.
In conclusion, the correct equation related to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is p + q = 1, not p q = 1.
