Q: In a population of 500 plants, 320 are CRCR, 160 are CRCW, and 20 are CWCW. What is the frequency of the CW allele?

$$\frac{(20 \times 2) + 160}{1000} = 0.04 + 0.16 = 0.20$$

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between blending inheritance and Mendel's particulate inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Blending inheritance suggests offspring are a mix of parental traits, while particulate inheritance proposes traits are inherited as discrete units (genes) that remain unchanged across generations.

Question 2

According to Weismann's germ plasm theory, which statement is correct regarding the transmission of hereditary information?

Accepted Answer

Hereditary information is transmitted only by germ cells, not by somatic cells.

Question 3

A cross between two heterozygous pea plants (Rr x Rr) for flower color, where R is dominant for red and r is recessive for white, produces what expected ratio of red to white flowers in the offspring?

Accepted Answer

$$3:1$$

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of incomplete dominance?

Accepted Answer

A cross between red and white flowers produces pink flowers in the offspring.

Question 5

If two genes are physically linked on the same chromosome, which of the following is most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

The genes tend to be inherited together, reducing the frequency of recombinant gametes.

Question 6

Which formula represents the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for a locus with two alleles, p and q?

Accepted Answer

$$p^2 + 2pq$$ + $$q^2 = 1$

Question 7

In a population of 500 plants, 320 are CRCR, 160 are CRCW, and 20 are CWCW. What is the frequency of the CW allele?

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{(20 	imes 2) + 160}{1000} = 0.04 + 0.16 = 0.20$$

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT an assumption of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection is acting on the population.

Question 9

A heterozygote (AaBb) mates with an AaBB individual. What is the probability that their offspring will be AA Bb, assuming independent assortment?

Accepted Answer

$$0.25 	imes 0.5 = 0.125$$

Question 10

Which scenario best illustrates pleiotropy?

Accepted Answer

A single gene affects both eye color and wing shape in fruit flies.

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why many traits exhibit continuous variation?

Accepted Answer

They are influenced by multiple genes (polygenic) and environmental factors.

Question 12

If the frequency of a recessive phenotype in a population is $$q^2 = 0.01$, what is the frequency of the recessive allele?

Accepted Answer

$$q = \sqrt{0.01} = 0.1$$

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of codominance?

Accepted Answer

Both alleles are fully expressed in the phenotype, such as AB blood type in humans.

Question 14

Which statement about Mendel's law of independent assortment is correct?

Accepted Answer

Alleles of different genes segregate independently during gamete formation if the genes are on different chromosomes.

Question 15

A population of black bears has 59% AA, 22% AW, and 19% WW genotypes. What is the frequency of the W allele?

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{(19 	imes 2) + 22}{200} = \frac{38 + 22}{200} = \frac{60}{200} = 0.3$$

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the product rule in probability as applied to Mendelian inheritance?

Accepted Answer

The probability of two independent events both occurring is the product of their individual probabilities: $$Pr(A 	ext{ and } B) = Pr(A) 	imes Pr(B).$$

Question 17

Which of the following would indicate that a population is NOT in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at a particular locus?

Accepted Answer

Observed genotype frequencies differ significantly from expected frequencies calculated using $$p^2$$, $$2pq$$, and $$q^2.$$

Question 18

Which of the following is a real-world example of a quantitative (polygenic) trait?

Accepted Answer

Human height, which varies continuously and is influenced by many genes and environmental factors.

Foundations of Genetics: Mendelian Inheritance and the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis

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