Final answer:
True, an organism with a haploid number of 10 will produce 1024 combinations of chromosomes at the end of meiosis due to the process of independent assortment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that an organism with a haploid number of 10 will produce 1024 combinations of chromosomes at the end of meiosis is true. During meiosis, one of the mechanisms that introduces variation into the gametes or spores is the random (or independent) assortment of homologous chromosomes at the metaphase plate. The possible number of chromosome combinations that can result from this process is calculated as 2n, where n is the number of chromosomes per haploid set. Therefore, an organism with a haploid number of 10 would have 210 or 1024 possible combinations. These mechanisms ensure that sexual reproduction, through meiosis and random fertilization, generates a vast potential for genetic variation among the offspring.