What process halves the chromosome number in cells and involves the separation of homologous chromosomes?

What process halves the chromosome number in cells and involves the separation of homologous chromosomes?

• A. Meiosis
• B. Mitosis
• C. Fertilization
• D. Binary fission

Answer: (A)

Meiosis is the division that halves the chromosome number in gamete formation. After DNA replication, meiosis proceeds through two rounds of division, and the first division specifically separates homologous chromosomes, so each resulting cell receives one chromosome from every homologous pair. This reduction from diploid to haploid is what enables sexual reproduction to restore the full chromosome set when gametes fuse during fertilization. In contrast, mitosis preserves the chromosome number by separating sister chromatids, fertilization combines haploid gametes to re-create diploidy, and binary fission is a bacterial form of replication that doesn’t involve homologous chromosome pairs.

Meiosis is the division that halves the chromosome number in gamete formation. After DNA replication, meiosis proceeds through two rounds of division, and the first division specifically separates homologous chromosomes, so each resulting cell receives one chromosome from every homologous pair. This reduction from diploid to haploid is what enables sexual reproduction to restore the full chromosome set when gametes fuse during fertilization. In contrast, mitosis preserves the chromosome number by separating sister chromatids, fertilization combines haploid gametes to re-create diploidy, and binary fission is a bacterial form of replication that doesn’t involve homologous chromosome pairs.