Final answer:
A cell with two of each type of chromosome is considered diploid, or 2n, commonly present in the somatic cells of organisms. Body cells like human cells have 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs. After meiosis, gametes are haploid (n), and fertilization results in a diploid zygote.
Step-by-step explanation:
A cell with two of each type of chromosome present inside is considered diploid, referred to as 2n, which stands for two sets of chromosomes. This diploid configuration is found in the somatic cells (all cells except gametes or reproductive cells) of most animals and plants, as well as many unicellular organisms. Human cells are typically diploid; for example, human body cells have 46 chromosomes which is 23 pairs, with one chromosome of each pair originating from each parent.
Before cell division during the synthesis phase in interphase, DNA replication occurs in a diploid cell leading to the presence of sister chromatids for each chromosome. However, following meiosis, the reproductive cells or gametes (sperm and eggs) become haploid, noted as n, which means they carry only one set of chromosomes. It is after the fertilization, when a haploid sperm and a haploid egg unite, that a new diploid zygote is formed, containing one set of chromosomes from each parent.