Final answer:
Dominant deleterious mutations are lost from a population more rapidly than recessive mutations due to their immediate expression and impact on an individual's fitness, leading to a reduced chance of reproduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of mutation that will generally be lost from a population most rapidly is a dominant deleterious mutation. This is because individuals with a dominant deleterious mutation express the harmful trait even if they have only one copy of the allele. These individuals are likely to have lower fitness and, consequently, are less likely to survive and reproduce. Therefore, these mutations can be quickly removed from the population, especially if they are lethal or cause significant disadvantages before the individual reaches reproductive age. On the other hand, recessive mutations, whether they are deleterious or neutral, can persist in a population carried by heterozygous individuals who do not express the trait. This makes recessive mutations, particularly neutral ones, less likely to be rapidly eliminated.