Final answer:
A translocation mutation occurs when part of one chromosome becomes attached to a different, nonhomologous chromosome, which can range from benign to severe effects based on gene positioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
When one portion of a chromosome becomes physically part of another chromosome, the type of mutation is referred to as a translocation. A translocation occurs when a chromosome segment dissociates and reattaches to a different, nonhomologous chromosome.
Translocations can be benign or have devastating effects depending on how the positions of genes are altered with respect to regulatory sequences. A reciprocal translocation is an exchange of chromosome segments between two nonhomologous chromosomes with no gain or loss of genetic information.