Final answer:
The term that describes chromosomes with centromeres closer to one end is 'acrocentric'. This position creates an asymmetry in the chromosome, with one very short arm and one long arm. Centromere positions are used in karyotyping to classify chromosomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chromosomes with centromeres located closer to one end than the other are described as acrocentric. This term specifically refers to the position of the centromere that creates a very short (p) arm and a much longer (q) arm.
In the cell cycle during the S phase of interphase, DNA replication occurs resulting in chromosomes composed of two linked sister chromatids. The centromere is the region where these chromatids are most closely connected. Centromeres are critical for the proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division, as they are the attachment points for spindle fibers. In metaphase, chromosomes align at the cell's equator with spindle fibers attached to their kinetochores from opposite poles.
Centromere positioning on chromosomes is one of the factors used to identify and distinguish them in a karyotype analysis. Human autosomes are typically listed in order of size in a karyotype, but they can also be categorized based on the placement of the centromere, creating different types like metacentric, submetacentric, acrocentric, and telocentric chromosomes.