Final answer:
A platypus sperm cell would have 26 chromosomes, as sperm cells are haploid and contain only half the number of chromosomes found in diploid somatic cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a platypus, the diploid number of chromosomes is 52, which means this is the number of chromosomes found in somatic (body) cells that contain two sets of chromosomes. However, sperm cells are haploid, which means they contain only one set of chromosomes, which is half the diploid number. Therefore, a platypus sperm cell would have 26 chromosomes, corresponding to the haploid number for this species.
In the platypus, the diploid number of chromosomes is 52. A sperm cell is a gamete, which is a haploid cell. Haploid cells have half the number of chromosomes as diploid cells. Therefore, a platypus sperm cell would have 26 chromosomes (half of 52).