OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

How many chromosomes are found in a human body cell?

1. 23

2. 46

3. 92

4. 13

The correct answer is: 46

In a human body cell, there are 46 chromosomes. Humans are diploid organisms, which means that their cells contain two sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent. Each set has 23 chromosomes, so when combined, they total 46. This chromosome number is characteristic of somatic cells, which include all the body cells except the gametes (sperm and eggs). The gametes contain half the number of chromosomes, which is why they only have 23 chromosomes. The presence of 92 chromosomes would indicate a cell in the process of division, specifically during the metaphase stage of meiosis, where the chromosomes have been duplicated but have not yet separated. A chromosome count of 13 is not typical for human cells, as it does not conform to the diploid nature of the species. Therefore, the correct number of chromosomes in a human body cell is 46.