Question

Although he did not know it, Mendel's principle of segregation's scientific basis is meiosis. The second meiotic division produces gametes that contain ________.

1) Half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell
2) The same number of chromosomes as the parent cell
3) Double the number of chromosomes as the parent cell
4) No chromosomes

Answer 1

The second meiotic division results in gametes that contain half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell, aligning with Mendel's principle of segregation which states that each allele for a trait segregates during gamete formation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The second meiotic division, also known as meiosis II, produces gametes that contain half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The physical basis for Mendel's principle of segregation lies in the first division of meiosis, where the homologous chromosomes are separated into daughter nuclei. This ensures that each gamete receives only one allele for each trait.

Mendel's law of segregation states that two alleles for each trait segregate or separate during the formation of gametes. Because gametes are haploid, containing only one set of chromosomes, they must combine with another haploid gamete during fertilization to restore the diploid state. Thus, through the mechanism of meiosis, each parental gamete contributes half of the genetic material to the offspring.