Questions: Please refer to the passage to help you answer the problem. How does random mating keep a population in HardyWeinberg Equilibrium? With random mating, males choose the females BEST suited to the environment. With random mating, female choose the males BEST suited to the environment. With random mating, every individual has an equal chance of passing on their genes.

The answer is the third one: With random mating, every individual has an equal chance of passing on their genes.

Explanation for each option:

1. With random mating, males choose the females BEST suited to the environment.

   • This option is incorrect because it describes a scenario of non-random mating, where selection is based on certain traits. In random mating, there is no preference for specific traits, which is essential for maintaining Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium.

2. With random mating, females choose the males BEST suited to the environment.

   • Similar to the first option, this is incorrect because it implies selective mating based on advantageous traits. Random mating requires that there is no selection pressure, allowing all individuals to have an equal opportunity to mate.

3. With random mating, every individual has an equal chance of passing on their genes.

   • This is the correct option. Random mating means that all individuals, regardless of their traits, have an equal probability of mating and passing on their genes. This lack of selection pressure is a key condition for maintaining Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, as it prevents changes in allele frequencies due to mating preferences.

In summary, random mating contributes to Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium by ensuring that all individuals have an equal chance of reproducing, thus maintaining stable allele frequencies in the population.