Final answer:
Each chromosome is composed of DNA that is compacted through binding with histone proteins, allowing it to fit inside the cell. This structure, called chromatin, is highly dynamic over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Each chromosome is a single molecule of DNA whose extraordinarily long length can be compacted by as much as 10,000-fold during mitosis and tenfold more during interphase.
This is accomplished by binding to histone proteins that help package the DNA in an orderly manner so it can fit in the small space delimited by the nuclear envelope. The structure of the DNA-protein complex, called chromatin, is highly dynamic over time.