Population genetics · USMLE Step 1

Which of the following conditions must be met for a population to maintain Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

  1. A persistently high mutation rate across generations
  2. Non-random assortative mating between individuals
  3. Large population size that minimizes drift
  4. Strong genetic drift acting on a small population
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Correct answer: Large population size that minimizes drift

Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium requires a large population size to minimize random fluctuations in allele frequency. Assortative mating and genetic drift both violate equilibrium assumptions, and mutation rates must remain negligible.

Difficulty: Medium Question 2 of 20

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