What occurs to allele frequencies when a population is at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

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When considering Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the core idea is that allele frequencies remain stable across generations provided certain conditions hold.
Option 1: 'The allele frequencies will remain constant over generations.' This is the hallmark of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; in the absence of evolutionary forces, the allele frequencies p and q do not change from generation to generation, though genotype frequencies can shift according to p^2, 2pq, and q^2.
Option 2: 'The frequency of the recessive allele will increase while the frequency of the dominant allele will decrease.' This would imply a directional change in allele frequencies, i.e., evolution, which contradicts the equilibrium condition where allele frequencies are stable.
Option 3: 'The frequency of the dominant allele will increase while the frequency of the recessive allele will decrease.' Like option 2, this describes a shift in allele frequencies due to some selective or other evolutionary force, not allowed in a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
Option 4: 'New alleles will enter the gene pool through genetic drift.' Genetic drift can cause allele frequency changes, especially in small populations, but Hardy-Weinberg assumes no such evolutionary processes (no mutation, no migration, random mating, infinite population size, no selection). Therefore this statement contradicts the equilibrium assumptions.

AGRI10051_2025_SM2 Exam: Genetics for Agriculture (AGRI10051_2025_SM2)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

What occurs to allele frequencies when a population is at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

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