The concept of a molecular clock allows a population geneticist to estimate what?
A)how quickly mutations are occurring in all species
B)how long two populations of the same species have been separated
C)how frequently beneficial mutations will appear in a population
D)how large a population is

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The concept of a molecular clock is based on the idea that mutations accumulate in a genome at a constant rate over time. By comparing the number of differences in DNA sequences between two populations of the same species, a population geneticist can estimate how long ago they diverged from a common ancestor. Therefore, the molecular clock can be used to estimate the time since two populations were separated.

The Concept of a Molecular Clock Allows a Population Geneticist