Final answer:
In an organism with 24 chromosomes in a somatic cell, a gamete will contain 12 chromosomes. This is due to meiosis, which halves the chromosome number from diploid somatic cells to haploid gametes.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an organism has a total of 24 chromosomes (12 pairs) in a somatic cell, the number of chromosomes in a gamete will be half that number, due to the process of meiosis which produces gametes. Therefore, there would be 12 chromosomes in a gamete of that organism. Somatic cells are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. In contrast, gametes are haploid and contain only a single set of chromosomes.
This reduction in chromosome number ensures that when two gametes fuse during fertilization, the resulting zygote will have the correct diploid chromosome number. This is crucial for maintaining the species' chromosome count from generation to generation. Since humans typically have 46 chromosomes in their somatic cells, human gametes - the sperm and egg cells - contain 23 chromosomes each. Similarly, for the organism in question with 24 chromosomes in somatic cells, the gametes will carry 12 chromosomes.