Merriam-Webster Online has the following definitions:

genetic drift
: random changes in gene frequency especially in small populations when
leading to preservation or extinction of particular genes

mutation
: a relatively permanent change in hereditary material involving either a
physical change in chromosome relations or a biochemical change in the
codons that make up genes; also : the process of producing a mutation b : an
individual strain or trait resulting from mutation

My Questions:

1. Are the random changes involved in genetic drift not also relatively
permanent?

2. How can a change involved in genetic drift lead to preservation?

3. How does genetic drift manifest itself in the real world (as I think I
understand how mutation can manifest itself.)

4. Can anyone improve (or elaborate for a layman) on the Webster definitions
to allow a better understanding of the differences between these terms, or
are the definitions as good as it gets.  (Perhaps to understand the
differences I need to know in detail how gene frequency, codons, alleles,
chromosomes, genes and more are related to each other and I don't have that
training,)

TIA.  Regards,  Brett Aubrey.
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