Final answer:
A diploid cell has double the number of chromosomes as a haploid cell, with haploid cells having one set of chromosomes and diploid cells having two sets.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diploid vs. Haploid Cells
A diploid cell contains double the number of chromosomes compared to a haploid cell. In humans, for example, diploid cells have 46 chromosomes, comprising 23 pairs, with one chromosome of each pair originating from each parent. By contrast, haploid cells, such as gametes (sperm and egg cells), have only 23 chromosomes, one of each pair. Therefore, a diploid cell has double the number of chromosomes as a haploid cell, not half, equal, or quadruple the number of chromosomes.
During sexual reproduction, two haploid cells (one from each parent) combine to form a zygote, which is diploid, having received one set of chromosomes from each parent. The process that creates haploid cells from a diploid cell is called meiosis, which results in four genetically unique haploid cells, each with half the DNA content of the original parent cell.