Question

This picture depicts a cell that started out as 2n = 4. What stage of mitosis or meiosis is it in?

a.) prophase
b.) metaphase
c.) metaphase I
d.) metaphase II
e.) could be either metaphase or metaphase II

Answer 1

Without an image or additional context, it's difficult to distinguish whether the cell is in metaphase of mitosis or metaphase II of meiosis if it started out with a diploid number of 2n=4. The correct order of mitosis events is prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, with prophase being the phase where chromosomes become visible. Meiosis II is the phase of meiosis most similar to mitosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

This picture depicts a cell that started out with a diploid number of chromosomes (2n=4), which does not provide enough information on its own to determine whether the cell is in metaphase of mitosis or metaphase II of meiosis. In metaphase of mitosis, chromosomes line up on the metaphase plate in pairs of sister chromatids. During metaphase II of meiosis, the sister chromatids are again aligned on the metaphase plate, but they are no longer identical as they may have undergone crossing over during meiosis I. Without an image or additional context, it is difficult to distinguish between these two stages. However, the correct order of events in mitosis is prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. During prophase, individual chromosomes become visible. The phase most similar to mitosis within meiosis is meiosis II, as it also involves the separation of sister chromatids.