Final answer:
Diploid cells contain two sets of chromosomes from both parents, with somatic cells being an example of diploid cells. Gametes are haploid cells containing only one set of chromosomes, which combine during fertilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question “Only one set of cells that are a combination of chromosomes from both mom and dad are” is (d) Diploid cells. Diploid cells contain two complete sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent. In humans, somatic cells are an example of diploid cells, with each cell containing 46 chromosomes, or 23 homologous pairs.
These pairs consist of one chromosome from the mother and one from the father. In contrast, gametes are haploid cells, which means they contain only a single set of chromosomes, half the number of diploid cells, which is 23 unpaired chromosomes.
Haploid cells are specifically the reproductive cells, such as sperm and eggs in animals. These cells combine during fertilization to create a new organism with a full set of chromosomes. Unlike somatic cells, gametes only carry one copy of each chromosome to ensure that upon fusion with another gamete, the resulting zygote has the correct number of chromosomes.