Name: _________________________________________
Genetic Mutations Lab
Directions:
1. Grab one bag of Fun sized bag of plain M&M’s and a paper towel per table; this represents the original population of the Colored
candius organism.
2. Empty the bag of M&Ms onto the paper towel, and record the number of each color candy and its percentage.
3. Five of your M&Ms undergo a spontaneous germ line mutation (they lived too close to a radioactive power plant) into Redhots.
Eliminate 5 M&Ms (set the candy aside), and add 5 Redhots to your count. Record the data for F1 on the chart.
4. Have one person from your table group close his/her eyes, and blindly remove 5 candies (set the candy aside).
5. Replace the 5 candies that were taken with “new” candies. These new candies have to have the characteristics of your existing
sample. This means that if there are no yellow M&Ms left in your sample, you cannot add a yellow M&M replacement. Record the data
for F2 on the chart.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 two more times (Generation F3 and F4). Make sure the blind sampling is done by a different member of the
group each time.
7. Enjoy your candy as you answer all post lab questions.
Name: _________________________________________
Mutations in Colored candius
Color of
candy
from
original
population
# of each
color
from
original
population
(F1)
Blue
Green
Orange
Yellow
Red
Brown
% of each
color from
original
population
Mutation is
introduced
(F1)
Blue
Green
Orange
Yellow
Red
Brown
Redhots
Total #
of candy
in original
population
=
# of each
color in
F2
5
% of each
color in
F2
# of each
color in
F3
% of each
color in
F3
# of each
color in
F4
% of each
color in
F4
# of each
color in
F5
% of each
color in
F5
Name: _________________________________________
Post lab questions:
1. Look at the data for F1 (where the
mutation originally occurs), and the data at
F4. Did the mutation become more prevalent
as time went on? Use your data as evidence.
2. Is your answer in 1 true for all other table
groups? (Yes, go and visit with at least two
other tables and include their data in your
answer.)
What could account for the differences?
3. Did any trait (M&M color) totally
disappear in your population?
Why might this happen?
Name: _________________________________________
4. In this activity, the mutation did not help
or hinder your population. Explain how your
results would have changed if you had been
allowed to see the candies you were picking
off.
5. Let's assume that the Redhot mutation is
poisonous to the Glutonous organism that
thrives on eating Colored candius. Determine
if this would be a beneficial mutation or not
and explain how this could affect the
population of Colored candius.
6. Assuming that the Redhot mutation is
preferred by the Glutonous organism that
thrives on eating Colored candius. Determine
if this would be a beneficial mutation or not
and explain how this could affect the
population of Colored candius.