To determine what [tex]\( q^2 \)[/tex] represents in the Hardy-Weinberg equation, we first need to understand the components of the equation:
[tex]\[ p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1 \][/tex]
Here:
- [tex]\( p \)[/tex] represents the frequency of the dominant allele in the population.
- [tex]\( q \)[/tex] represents the frequency of the recessive allele in the population.
Given that [tex]\( p \)[/tex] and [tex]\( q \)[/tex] are the frequencies of the dominant and recessive alleles respectively, each term in the equation corresponds to the different genotypes possible in a population:
1. [tex]\( p^2 \)[/tex]: This term represents the frequency of individuals who are homozygous dominant (have two dominant alleles).
2. [tex]\( 2pq \)[/tex]: This term represents the frequency of individuals who are heterozygous (have one dominant allele and one recessive allele).
3. [tex]\( q^2 \)[/tex]: This term represents the frequency of individuals who are homozygous recessive (have two recessive alleles).
So, in the context of the equation, [tex]\( q^2 \)[/tex] specifically denotes the frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype in the population. Thus, among the given options:
A. The frequency of the homozygous dominant genotype — incorrect
B. The frequency of the heterozygous genotype — incorrect
C. The frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype — correct
D. The frequency of the gene in the population — incorrect
Therefore, the correct answer is:
C. The frequency of the homozygous recessive genotype.
