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WABiologyQuick questions
Unit 3: Continuity of Species
Quick questions on Mitosis and meiosis: WACE Year 12 Biology
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is mitosis?Show answer
Mitosis produces two daughter nuclei that are genetically identical to the parent and to each other. It is used for growth, tissue repair and asexual reproduction. The diploid chromosome number (2n) is maintained.
What is meiosis?Show answer
Meiosis produces four haploid (n) gametes from one diploid (2n) cell through two consecutive divisions, meiosis I and meiosis II, with only one round of DNA replication beforehand.
What is independent assortment?Show answer
During metaphase I, each homologous pair lines up independently of every other pair. In humans, with 23 pairs, this alone produces over eight million (2 to the power 23) possible combinations of chromosomes in a gamete.
What is random fertilisation?Show answer
Any one of millions of genetically distinct sperm can fertilise any one of millions of distinct eggs, multiplying the variation again.
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