Final answer:
Meiosis is a type of cell division that produces haploid gametes. It contributes to genetic variation in offspring through mechanisms such as crossing-over and independent assortment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Meiosis is a type of cell division that produces haploid gametes, such as sperm and egg cells, in sexually reproducing organisms. The purpose of meiosis is to reduce the chromosome number by half, ensuring that when sperm and egg unite during fertilization, the resulting offspring will have the normal diploid chromosome number. During meiosis, two cell divisions, known as Meiosis I and Meiosis II, occur resulting in the formation of four haploid cells.
Meiosis contributes to genetic variation in offspring through several mechanisms. These include crossing-over, which is the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis, and independent assortment, which is the random alignment and separation of homologous pairs of chromosomes during meiosis I. These processes result in the shuffling and recombination of genetic material, leading to the creation of genetically unique offspring.