If we collect large quantities of male and female gametes and put them in separate jars, this is the genetic material from which the next generation of this population will be generated. This requires a little elementary probability theory. By statistically comparing the observed genotypic frequencies with those expected from the HWE, we can determine if a population is in HWE or whether the forces of evolutionary change are acting on the population. Genotype Observed Number Obs. There are far few heterozygotes and more homozygotes in this population than expected given HW conditions.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder caused by a recessive allele at a single gene.
Individuals that are homozygous for this recessive allele suffer from a severe disorder involving abnormal glandular secretions. The H-W principle is the basic model for the study of population genetics.