Final answer:
An Ascaris ovum has 2 chromosomes and there are 2 pairs of chromosomes as it prepares for meiosis I. A muscle cell with 32 chromosomes produces a gamete with 16 chromosomes, and a diploid cell has twice the number of chromosomes as a haploid cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of chromosomes in the nucleus of an Ascaris ovum corresponds to the species' haploid count, because an ovum is a gamete. Ascaris, a genus of nematodes, has a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 4. Therefore, before it prepares for meiosis I, its cells will have 2n chromosomes (4 in this case), which would be seen as 2 pairs. During meiosis I, these pairs will separate, and the resultant gametes will each have 1n chromosomes. So, in response to the question, the Ascaris ovum has 2 chromosomes, and there are 2 pairs of chromosomes seen as it prepares for meiosis I.
In relation to the other reference questions, a typical muscle cell, which is diploid, having 32 chromosomes, will produce a gamete with half this number, so the gamete would contain 16 chromosomes. This is because gametes are haploid cells resulting from meiosis, containing one set of chromosomes. A human oogonia, which is a diploid cell, originally has 46 chromosomes. The unequal distribution of the cytoplasm during oogenesis ensures proper oocyte development, supplying the resulting ovum with enough cytosol and organelles to support early embryogenesis.
A diploid cell has twice the number of chromosomes as a haploid cell. Moreover, meiosis typically produces four haploid cells from one diploid cell. In eukaryotes like humans, somatic cells, which are diploid, have 2n chromosomes, while gametes, being haploid, have 1n chromosomes.