Over several years, a scientist successfully isolates a species of flower for white color. This year, when the new generation of flowers bloom, one yellow flower is found in the population. Which is the BEST reason for the appearance of a new flower color within the species?

a. adaptation
b. replication
c. genetic mutation
d. spontaneous generation

Question

Over several years, a scientist successfully isolates a species of flower for white color. This year, when the new generation of flowers bloom, one yellow flower is found in the population. Which is the BEST reason for the appearance of a new flower color within the species?

a. adaptation
b. replication
c. genetic mutation
d. spontaneous generation

kainui · Answer

Since the scientists isolated the white gene, you can consider the population as all homozygous dominant for the trait. Another hint that they are homozygous dominant is that their offspring are all white except for 1. If they were heterozygous dominant you would see  25% of the offspring with yellow flowers, but only 1 did. When only 1 out of a single population has a trait that's new, this is what a mutation is.