AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Option b is correct because muscle cell is a somatic cell or diploid (2n) while gamete is a haploid (n). During meiosis haploid gametes (sperm or eggs) are formed from the diploid parent’s cell. So, 16 chromosomes will be present in the gametes of that organism.

Detailed explanation-2: -This division is an important event since after fertilisation haploid chromosomes from each gamete (male and female) fuse to retain the diploid state in the zygote. Diploid means two sets of chromosome and haploid is one set. Since here the diploid set is 16 thus one set will be half it, i.e, 8.

Detailed explanation-3: -An organism has 16 chromosomes in diploid cells. The number of chromosomes present in the haploid cells produced by this organism will be 8. Haploid cells contain only one set of chromosomes i.e. half the number of chromosomes as are present in diploid cells. Gametes are haploid cells.

Detailed explanation-4: -So the final answer is 8 chromosomes.

Detailed explanation-5: -So, if the parent cell has 16 chromosomes, after meiotic division it will get reduced to half and thus, the daughter cells will have 8 chromosomes.