A student reads information about the passing of genes from one generation to the next.
What can the student conclude about the number of chromosomes in sex cells (egg and sperm)?
Responses
Answer (2)
The student can conclude that sex cells (egg and sperm) have half the number of chromosomes compared to body cells.Body cells have a full set of chromosomes (called diploid).Sex cells have only half that number (called haploid) so that when they join during fertilization, the resulting cell has a complete set.Humans have 46 chromosomes in body cells, but egg and sperm cells each have 23 chromosomes.
Here's the reasoning:Diploid Body Cells: Most cells in an organism's body (somatic cells) are diploid, meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes – one set inherited from each parent.Haploid Sex Cells: Sex cells (gametes) are haploid, meaning they contain only one set of chromosomes.Fertilization: During sexual reproduction, a haploid sperm cell fuses with a haploid egg cell in a process called fertilization. This fusion restores the diploid number of chromosomes in the offspring.If sex cells had the same number of chromosomes as body cells, the number of chromosomes would double in each generation, leading to an unsustainable increase. The halving of chromosomes in sex cells ensures that the offspring inherit the correct number of chromosomes, maintaining genetic continuity across generations.
