AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Meiosis is a process that starts with a given number of chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell, and ends with gamete cells that each contain half the number of chromosomes that were in the original cell. Most human cells, for example, have 46 chromosomes, whereas sperm and egg cells have only 23 chromosomes.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes, or homologues, in each cell. After replication there are a total of 92 sister chromatids in each cell. There are 46 individual chromosomes in each cell.

Detailed explanation-3: -We can think of meiosis as a way cells very carefully count and divide their chromosomes so that each gamete, each egg or sperm, has exactly 23 chromosomes. Then when an egg with its 23 chromosomes is fertilized by a sperm with its 23 chromosomes, the resulting fertilized egg has exactly 46 chromosomes.

Detailed explanation-4: -When the cell divides, the copies are pulled apart, and each new cell gets one identical copy of each chromosome. This type of cell division is called mitosis, and it produces cells with a total of 46 chromosomes.