A Level Biology Practice Exam

What is the end result of meiosis?

1. Two diploid cells

2. Four diploid cells

3. Four haploid cells

4. Two haploid cells

The correct answer is: Four haploid cells

The end result of meiosis is the production of four haploid cells. This process involves two rounds of cell division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II, which lead to the reduction of the chromosome number. Initially, a diploid parent cell undergoes meiosis, where it first replicates its DNA and then divides, reducing the chromosome number by half during meiosis I. This is followed by another division in meiosis II that separates the sister chromatids. As a consequence, the final products are four distinct haploid cells, each containing half the original number of chromosomes. This reduction is crucial for sexual reproduction, as it ensures that when gametes fuse during fertilization, the resulting offspring will have the correct diploid number of chromosomes.