Question

Why is Hardy-Weinberg a null hypothesis for evolutionary studies?

1) Hardy-Weinberg allows us to make predictions about allele frequencies when a population is evolving.
2) Hardy-Weinberg is a mathematical formula that tells us what to expect if individuals are adapting.
3) Hardy-Weinberg provides expected frequencies for alleles in the absence of evolutionary mechanisms.
4) Hardy-Weinberg allows us to calculate gene frequency changes for populations by assuming that natural selection is acting.

Answer 1

The Hardy-Weinberg principle is a null hypothesis for evolutionary studies because it provides expected frequencies for alleles in the absence of evolutionary mechanisms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Hardy-Weinberg principle is a null hypothesis for evolutionary studies because it provides expected frequencies for alleles in the absence of evolutionary mechanisms. It allows scientists to compare evolving populations to a mathematical baseline of a non-evolving population in order to infer what evolutionary forces might be at play. If the frequencies of alleles or genotypes deviate from the values expected from the Hardy-Weinberg equation, then the population is evolving.