Final answer:
The incorrect statement that sex cells are diploid and somatic cells are haploid is not the difference between them; somatic cells are diploid and undergo mitosis, while sex cells (gametes) are haploid and undergo meiosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Somatic and Sex Cells
The statement "Sex cells are diploid and somatic cells are haploid" is not the difference between somatic and sex cells. In fact, the opposite is true. Somatic cells in humans have 46 chromosomes and are diploid, meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes - one set from each parent. On the other hand, sex cells, or gametes, have 23 chromosomes and are haploid, having only one set of chromosomes. Therefore, the correct difference between the two is that somatic cells are diploid, while sex cells are haploid.
Somatic cells undergo mitosis, a type of cell division that results in two genetically identical diploid daughter cells. Meiosis is the type of cell division that produces haploid gametes from diploid cells. Also, contrary to the incorrect statement provided, it is the sex cells that are involved in reproduction, not somatic cells.
Furthermore, the process of meiosis includes steps that create genetic diversity, such as crossing over, which are not features of mitosis. Therefore, the idea that meiosis does not involve a mixing of chromosomes and that mitosis does is incorrect, as the opposite is the case.