Final answer:
The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is a principle stating that a population's allele and genotype frequencies remain stable across generations in the absence of evolutionary forces. For a population to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, it must satisfy conditions of no mutations, no migrations, a large population size, random mating, and no natural selection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Hardy-Weinberg principle of equilibrium, named after English mathematician Godfrey Hardy and German physician Wilhelm Weinberg, indicates that in the absence of outside forces, a population's allele and genotype frequencies remain constant from one generation to the next. This suggests that there will be no evolution occurring since the genetic makeup of the population is stable.
Conditions Necessary for Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
To attain Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, a population must meet these five strict conditions:
No mutation must occur, ensuring the allele frequencies are not altered by changes in the DNA sequence.
There must be no migration (or gene flow) in or out of the population.
A very large population size is required to prevent sampling errors (genetic drift).
Random mating must occur so that all individuals have an equal chance of reproducing regardless of their genotype.
There can be no natural selection where certain traits do not provide an advantage or disadvantage for survival and reproduction.
However, it is unlikely for real populations to meet all these conditions, making Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium primarily a theoretical model used to measure and predict genetic variation over time.