Question

A sexually reproducing organism has 80 chromosomes. What would the total number of chromosomes be for the offspring of the organism?

Answer 1

In sexually reproducing organisms, the total number of chromosomes in the offspring is typically the same as that of the parents, assuming no mutations or chromosomal abnormalities occur. A sexually reproducing organism with 80 chromosomes would have 40 chromosomes in each of its gametes (sperm and egg) because gametes are formed through meiosis, which halves the chromosome number.

When fertilization occurs, the offspring will receive half of its chromosomes from each parent. Therefore, the offspring will inherit a total of 80 chromosomes (40 from the mother and 40 from the father).

So, the total number of chromosomes in the offspring will be **80**.