Identify the factor which does not affect the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Genetic equilibrium
Option (1) Genetic drift — Affects Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Allele frequencies change by chance.
Option (2) Natural selection — Affects Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Useful alleles become more common.
Option (3) Genetic recombination — Affects Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. It gives new gene combinations.
Option (4) Genetic equilibrium — Does not affect Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genetic equilibrium is the state itself: the gene pool stays constant. It is not a factor acting on it.
NCERT Extract:
Hardy-Weinberg Principle – “In a given population one can find out the frequency of occurrence of alleles of a gene or a locus. This frequency is supposed to remain fixed and even remain the same through generations. Hardy-Weinberg principle stated it using algebraic equations. This principle says that allele frequencies in a population are stable and is constant from generation to generation. The gene pool (total genes and their alleles in a population) remains a constant. This is called genetic equilibrium.”
Hardy-Weinberg Principle – “… Five factors are known to affect Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These are gene migration or gene flow, genetic drift, mutation, genetic recombination and natural selection.”