Meiosis results in the formation of cells. Each of these cells contains how many chromosomes compared to the original cell?

• A. Half the number of chromosomes as the original cell
• B. Twice the number of chromosomes as the original cell
• C. The same number of chromosomes as the original cell
• D. One-fourth the number of chromosomes as the original cell

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half to produce gametes (sperm and egg cells).
2. Recall that the original cell is diploid (2n), meaning it has two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
3. Recognize that meiosis consists of two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II.
4. After meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, reducing the chromosome number from diploid (2n) to haploid (n).
5. Therefore, each resulting cell after meiosis contains half the number of chromosomes compared to the original diploid cell.