AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Mutational effects can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral, depending on their context or location. Most non-neutral mutations are deleterious. In general, the more base pairs that are affected by a mutation, the larger the effect of the mutation, and the larger the mutation’s probability of being deleterious.

Detailed explanation-2: -The effects of mutations can vary widely, from being beneficial, to having no effect, to having lethal consequences, and every possibility in between.

Detailed explanation-3: -Mutations can affect an organism by changing its physical characteristics (or phenotype) or it can impact the way DNA codes the genetic information (genotype). When mutations occur they can cause termination (death) of an organism or they can be partially lethal.

Detailed explanation-4: -Mutations are one of the fundamental forces of evolution because they fuel the variability in populations and thus enable evolutionary change.