Which of the following statements about genetic drift as an evolutionary factor is true?
A) It is more significant in a population with small numbers than in a population with large numbers.
B) It is responsible for the selection of mutations.
C) It is connected to the movements of alleles between populations of a single species.
D) Its strength is proportional to the size of a population: the larger the population, the greater the force.
E) Both a and b

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Genetic drift is more significant in a population with small numbers than in a population with large numbers. This is because genetic drift is a random process that can lead to the loss of genetic variation in a population, and in small populations, chance events can have a larger impact on the frequencies of alleles. Genetic drift is not responsible for the selection of mutations (answer B), which is the role of natural selection. Genetic drift can be connected to the movements of alleles between populations of a single species (answer C), but this is not its primary function. The strength of genetic drift is actually inversely proportional to the size of a population: the smaller the population, the greater the force (answer D).

Which of the Following Statements About Genetic Drift as an Evolutionary