Final answer:
In meiosis, a human diploid parent cell with 46 chromosomes produces four haploid daughter cells, each with 23 chromosomes. The daughter cells are smaller than the parent cell because the cytoplasm is divided among them during cytokinesis. The correct answer is option B.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the chromosome number of parent cells compared to daughter cells, it is important to understand the process being described. Meiosis is the specialized type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes by half to produce haploid gametes (sperm and egg cells). A human diploid parent cell contains 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), so after meiosis, each of the four daughter cells contains 23 chromosomes, which is half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.
The size of the daughter cells is typically smaller than the parent cell because the cytoplasm is divided among the four cells during cytokinesis. Consequently, the correct answer to the question is that the parent cell has the same number of chromosomes as each daughter cell, and the daughter cells are smaller, which corresponds to option B.
Human cells normally have two sets of chromosomes, with one set inherited from each parent. Sex cells, or gametes, are haploid and contain only one set of chromosomes. When a sperm and an egg combine during fertilization, they form a diploid zygote with two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.