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What does it mean if a population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? Null hypothesis:

a) The population is evolving.
b) The population is not evolving.
c) Genetic mutations are occurring.
d) There is a high rate of migration.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium occurs when a population is not evolving and allele frequencies remain constant, assuming no mutations, no migration, large population size, random mating, and no natural selection.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, it means that the population is not evolving. According to the null hypothesis, if a population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, then allele and genotype frequencies in the population will remain constant over time, provided that five specific conditions are met: no mutations, no migration, large population size, random mating, and no natural selection. Essentially, the Hardy-Weinberg principle serves as a mathematical model to help scientists identify when a population may be evolving by comparing actual genetic data to the expected frequencies if these conditions are met.

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