Question 1

What is meiosis?

Accepted Answer

A process where a single cell divides twice to produce four cells containing half the original amount of genetic information

(these four cells are sex cells)

Question 2

What are homologous chromosomes?

Accepted Answer

Two pieces of DNA that carry the same genes, one from each parent

(humans have 23 homologous chromosomes, which creates 46 in total)

Question 3

What are gametes?

Accepted Answer

Haploid sex cells produced during meiosis

Unite with another gamete of the opposite sex to form a zygote

Question 4

What is spermatogenesis?

Accepted Answer

Process of gamete formation in males, leading to the production of four haploid sperm from each meiotic cycle

Question 5

What is oogenesis?

Accepted Answer

Process of gamete formation in females, leading to the production of a single ovum/egg per meiotic cycle

(more complicated than spermatogenesis)

Question 6

What are polar bodies?

Accepted Answer

Small cells in oogenesis that simply receive half the genetic information and are cast away

(the remaining cell receives most of the cytoplasm and may become the ovum)

Question 7

How is oogenesis different from spermatogenesis?

Accepted Answer

After meiosis I, one cell recieves half the genetic information and the majority of the cytoplasm (the polar body is discarded)

During meiosis II, the remaining cell divides again to become the ovum (forms another polar body which is also discarded)

Question 8

What happens to the excess cytoplasm in oogenesis?

Accepted Answer

Used for proper growth of the embryo after fertilization

Question 9

Why is it important that sperms and eggs are haploid (and not diploid)?

Accepted Answer

If they were diploid, the offspring would contain twice as many chromosomes as the original parents

(meiosis solves this by producing haploid gametes)

Question 10

What is the difference between how chromosomes are treated in meiosis and mitosis?

Accepted Answer

In meiosis during prophase I homologous pairs join together, so during metaphase I, they align along the metaphase plate in pairs

In mitosis chromosomes are alone, so during metaphase, they align along the metaphase plate alone

Question 11

What is crossover (crossing over)?

Accepted Answer

A process in meiosis where homologous chromosomes swap pieces

Question 12

Why is crossover important?

Accepted Answer

It increases genetic diversity and allows offspring to differ from their parents

Meiosis, AP Biology Flashcards