What happens to the chromosome number during meiosis?

• A. It doubles from haploid to diploid.
• B. It triples from diploid to triploid.
• C. It is halved from diploid to haploid.
• D. It remains the same throughout the process.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, creating four haploid cells from one diploid cell.
2. Recall that a diploid cell contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, while a haploid cell contains only one set of chromosomes.
3. During meiosis, the process involves two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II.
4. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, reducing the chromosome number from diploid (2n) to haploid (n).
5. In meiosis II, the sister chromatids are separated, but the chromosome number remains haploid, resulting in four genetically distinct haploid cells.