Q: If a population of 100 ants has 64 BB, 32 Bb, and 4 bb individuals, what is the frequency of the B allele? Use the formula $$p = \frac{2N_{BB} + N_{Bb}}{2N_{total}}.$$

$$p = \frac{2 \times 64 + 32}{200} = 0.8$$

Q: In a population at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, if the frequency of allele $$A is$$ $$p = 0.7$$ and the frequency of allele $$a is$$ $$q = 0.3$$, what is the expected frequency of heterozygotes ($$Aa$$)? Use the formula $$2pq.$$

$$2 \times 0.7 \times 0.3 = 0.42$$

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the role of a hypothesis in the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a tentative explanation that can be tested by experiments or observations.

Question 2

During his voyage on the HMS Beagle, Darwin observed that animals on distant islands were more similar to those on the nearest continent than to those on other islands. What did this suggest to him?

Accepted Answer

The animals on the islands originated from the nearest continent.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of Darwin's key observations that led to his theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

All individuals in a population have identical traits.

Question 4

Which scientist's work convinced Darwin that natural processes occur slowly and continually in living organisms as well as in geology?

Accepted Answer

Charles Lyell

Question 5

According to the theory of natural selection, what is the primary factor that determines which individuals survive and reproduce?

Accepted Answer

Their inherited traits that better adapt them to the environment

Question 6

Which of the following statements about natural selection is correct?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection is an editing mechanism, not a creative process.

Question 7

In the context of population genetics, what is the smallest unit that can evolve?

Accepted Answer

Population

Question 8

If a population of 100 ants has 64 BB, 32 Bb, and 4 bb individuals, what is the frequency of the B allele? Use the formula $$p = \frac{2N_{BB} + N_{Bb}}{2N_{total}}.$$

Accepted Answer

$$p = \frac{2 	imes 64 + 32}{200} = 0.8$$

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a condition required for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection must be acting on the population.

Question 10

A population of birds is drastically reduced by a hurricane, leaving only a few survivors. The resulting change in allele frequencies is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The bottleneck effect

Question 11

Which evolutionary force is the ultimate source of genetic variation in a population?

Accepted Answer

Mutation

Question 12

In a population at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, if the frequency of allele $$A is$$ $$p = 0.7$$ and the frequency of allele $$a is$$ $$q = 0.3$$, what is the expected frequency of heterozygotes ($$Aa$$)? Use the formula $$2pq.$$

Accepted Answer

$$2 	imes 0.7 	imes 0.3 = 0.42$$

Question 13

Which type of natural selection favors individuals with intermediate phenotypes and reduces variation in a population?

Accepted Answer

Stabilizing selection

Question 14

A small group of lizards colonizes a new island, and their descendants have different allele frequencies than the original population. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The founder effect

Question 15

Which of the following best describes gene flow?

Accepted Answer

The movement of alleles into or out of a population due to migration

Question 16

Which scenario is an example of directional selection?

Accepted Answer

Selective fishing for larger salmon leads to a decrease in average salmon size over generations.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about evolution and natural selection is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Individuals evolve during their lifetime in response to environmental changes.

Question 18

In a population of 200 beetles, 120 are green (GG or Gg) and 80 are brown (gg). If green is dominant, and the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what is the frequency of the recessive allele $$g$$? Use $$q = \sqrt{\frac{	ext{number of gg}}{N}}.$$

Accepted Answer

$$q = \sqrt{\frac{80}{200}} = \sqrt{0.4} \approx 0.63$$

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a neutral variation?

Accepted Answer

Human fingerprints

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why natural populations are rarely in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection and other evolutionary forces are always acting on populations.

Foundations of Evolution and Population Genetics: Study Notes for General Biology

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