CLEP CLEP Biology Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many rounds of nuclear division occur during meiosis?
- One
- Two (Correct answer)
- Three
- Four
Correct answer: Two
Meiosis involves two sequential rounds of division—meiosis I (reductional) and meiosis II (equational)—to produce four haploid cells from one diploid cell.
Question 2: Crossing over (recombination) between non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes occurs primarily during which stage?
- Metaphase I
- Prophase I (Correct answer)
- Anaphase II
- Metaphase II
Correct answer: Prophase I
During prophase I, homologous chromosomes synapse and crossing over occurs at chiasmata, creating recombinant chromosomes with new allele combinations.
Question 3: A human diploid cell (2n = 46) undergoes meiosis. How many chromosomes are present in each resulting gamete?
- 46
- 92
- 23 (Correct answer)
- 48
Correct answer: 23
Meiosis reduces the chromosome number by half; each gamete receives one chromosome from each homologous pair, yielding 23 chromosomes (n = 23).
Question 4: Homologous chromosomes pair up to form bivalents (tetrads) during which phase of meiosis?
- Metaphase I
- Prophase I (Correct answer)
- Anaphase I
- Telophase II
Correct answer: Prophase I
During prophase I, homologous chromosomes undergo synapsis facilitated by the synaptonemal complex, forming bivalents (each consisting of four chromatids).
Question 5: The separation of homologous chromosome pairs to opposite poles of the cell is the defining event of:
- Anaphase of meiosis I (Correct answer)
- Anaphase of meiosis II
- Anaphase of mitosis
- Prophase I
Correct answer: Anaphase of meiosis I
Anaphase I is the reductional step where homologs (not sister chromatids) are pulled apart, reducing the chromosome number in each half of the cell.
Question 6: Which of the following correctly describes the final products of a complete meiotic division?
- 2 diploid cells
- 4 haploid cells (Correct answer)
- 2 haploid cells
- 4 diploid cells
Correct answer: 4 haploid cells
Meiosis produces four genetically distinct haploid cells; in males these become sperm, while in females one becomes an egg and the other three are polar bodies.
Question 7: Genetic recombination (crossing over) between non-sister chromatids primarily occurs during which substage of prophase I?
- Leptotene
- Zygotene
- Pachytene (Correct answer)
- Diplotene
Correct answer: Pachytene
During pachytene, homologous chromosomes are fully synapsed and chiasmata form as the physical sites where DNA strands are exchanged between non-sister chromatids.
CLEP CLEP Biology Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis 2
How many rounds of nuclear division occur during meiosis?