Question 1:

What is genetic variation?

Explanation: Genetic variation refers to the differences in DNA sequences among individuals in a population. These variations can include differences in nucleotide sequences, gene copy numbers, and structural variations, contributing to the diversity observed within and between populations.

Question 2:

What is a gene pool?

Explanation: A gene pool is the sum total of all the alleles present in a population. It represents the genetic diversity within a population and includes the variations in alleles for different genes that can be passed on to future generations through reproduction.

Question 3:

Which of the following factors can contribute to genetic variation in a population?

Explanation: Genetic variation in a population can be influenced by genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation. Genetic drift refers to random changes in allele frequencies due to chance events, gene flow occurs when individuals migrate and introduce new alleles to a population, and mutation leads to the creation of new genetic variations.

Question 4:

What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

Explanation: The Hardy-Weinberg principle is a mathematical relationship between allele frequencies and genotype frequencies in a population. It describes the conditions under which allele frequencies remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary forces such as selection, mutation, migration, and genetic drift.

Question 5:

How does natural selection influence genetic variation in a population?

Explanation: Natural selection can both increase and decrease genetic variation in a population, depending on the specific selective pressures. In some cases, certain alleles may be favored, leading to their increased frequency in the population and a decrease in overall variation. In other cases, natural selection may maintain or promote genetic variation, such as in cases of balancing selection or when multiple alleles provide adaptive advantages in different environments.