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

How many daughter cells are produced from one diploid cell through meiosis?

1. 2

2. 4

3. 8

4. 16

The correct answer is: 4

Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms. It reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in the production of gametes—sperm and egg cells in animals. During meiosis, one diploid cell undergoes two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, leading to two haploid cells, each with half the chromosome number of the original diploid cell. In meiosis II, the two haploid cells divide again, separating the sister chromatids, which results in a total of four haploid daughter cells. This process is essential for maintaining the chromosome number across generations. When gametes from two parents combine during fertilization, the diploid state is restored in the resulting zygote. Thus, the correct answer indicating that four daughter cells are produced from one diploid cell through meiosis reflects this fundamental principle of sexual reproduction and genetics.