AP Biology Hardy-Weinberg

Akshay Patel
4/1/2022

Gill St. Bernard’s School

2021-2022
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Baseline Experiment
Objective:
The inheritance patterns and allele frequencies of a population will be measured through a computer
model, in order to provide deeper insights regarding biological systems.
Introduction:
The Hardy-Weinberg principle is a mathematical equation used to test to see if a population is
actually evolving. It incorporates allele frequency, genotype count, and a specific set of equations in
order analyze a population. A population is defined as a group of individuals of the same species that
live in the same area and interbreed. If the experimental population does not meet the definition set by
the Hardy-Weinberg principle, the results will be null and void.
Allele frequency change is the change in alleles of a population in each generation. There are
three different mechanisms of allele frequency change: natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow. The
Hardy-Weinberg principle will only work in a population that does not undergo natural selection, that
avoids genetic drift, and that also has no gene flow (no outside organisms can enter in and out of the
population).
The Hardy-Weinberg principle equations are as follows: p2 + 2pq + q2 and p + q = 1. The variable
p represents the frequency of any allele A, whereas the variable q represents the frequency of any allele
B. Because of this, Hardy-Weinberg typically only applies to diploid organisms.

Procedure:
The materials used in this experiment:
1. Computer program: Excel Spreadsheets
Steps of procedure:
1. Load Excel Spreadsheets on computer
2. Assign A and B as two alleles of diploid organism for experimental population.
*Assume that this population sexually reproduces, that it contains an infinite gene pool, and
that it has gametes for the next generation selected at random.
3. Quantitatively describe the biological system using the spreadsheet.
a. To begin, set allele frequency values of p and q, where p is the frequency of Allele A and
q is the frequency of Allele B, between 0-1 (p and q should both add to 1)
b. Allow computer to randomly select alleles, choosing between A and B
c. Combine alleles to form zygote genotypes
d. Chart the number of each genotype, with options of AA, AB, and BB, and sum each
number
e. Sum the amount of allele occurrences, or the number of each allele in the zygote
population
f. Then, use this number to calculate the new p and q frequency for the next generation.
4. Repeat using this model for next generations, in order to find how allele frequencies change
over time.

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Result and Discussion:

Table 1 provides an account of the results of the experiment. The “parental”, initial population started
with the p and q frequencies of 0.4 and 0.6, respectively. This means that the frequency of allele B was
more than the frequency of allele A, to start. After the model ran for the first generation, the total
amount of the B allele still outnumbered the A allele, with there being 24 B alleles and 8 A alleles. In
accordance, there were 10 BB genotypes, 4 AB genotypes, and 2 AA genotypes. The allele frequency for
the next generation was p=0.25, and q=0.75, meaning the allele frequency for allele B increased. After
the model ran for the second generation, the total amount of B alleles were 28, whereas A was 4. There
were 12 BB genotypes and 4 AB genotypes, which correlates correctly to the allele numbers. The allele
frequency for this generation was p=0.125 and q=0.875. For the third generation, the allele frequency
continued to become much greater for the q value, or the B allele frequency, compared to the A allele
frequency (p=0.03, q=0.97). The overall computer model demonstrated how the allele frequencies
changed

Calculations:
Hardy-Weinberg Equation:
p2 + 2pq + q2
p+q=1

Error Analysis:
No error because all calculations were done on a computer.

Conclusion:
The Hardy-Weinberg experiment can be regarded as a success, as the allele frequency of the
experimental population was analyzed using the computer model.

References:
Hardy-Weinberg packet handout

Table 1: Hardy-Weinberg Table

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First Generation

Generation 2

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Generation 3

Figure 1: Genotypes of First Generation