How does the process of meiosis affect the genetic information that offspring receive?

Question

A.
It prevents mutations from being passed onto the offspring.

B.
It creates identical copies of the parents' DNA for the offspring.

C.
It allows the offspring to receive the most advantageous genes.

D.
It ensures offspring receive the correct number of chromosomes.

Answer 1

The correct option is:

D. It ensures offspring receive the correct number of chromosomes.

Meiosis is the process of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four genetically distinct gametes (sperm or eggs). This reduction is crucial for sexual reproduction because it ensures that when fertilization occurs, the resulting offspring will have the correct diploid number of chromosomes—half from each parent—thus maintaining the species' chromosome count across generations.