Question

increases the number of cells. this increase in cells produces growth. you are the size that you are today because of mitosis.
males produce sperm cells.
during fertilization,
one sperm combines
with one egg.
the fertilized egg develops
into a new organism.
females produce egg cells.
9 claims • evidence • reasoning how do the offspring of sexual and asexual reproduction differ? summarize evidence to support your claim and explain your reasoning.

Explanation:

To answer the question about how offspring of sexual and asexual reproduction differ:

• Claim: Offspring from sexual reproduction have genetic variation, while offspring from asexual reproduction are genetically identical to the parent.
• Evidence for Sexual Reproduction: The image shows males producing sperm and females producing eggs, with fertilization combining genetic material from two parents (one sperm and one egg). This combination of genetic material from two different sources leads to variation. For example, in sexual reproduction, the offspring gets half its genes from the father (sperm) and half from the mother (egg), so it has a unique combination of genes different from either parent.
• Evidence for Asexual Reproduction: In asexual reproduction (e.g., binary fission in bacteria, budding in yeast), only one parent is involved. The offspring is produced by processes like mitosis (as mentioned in the text about cell growth), where the genetic material is replicated and divided, resulting in offspring with the exact same genetic material as the parent. For example, a bacterium that divides asexually will produce two daughter cells with the same DNA as the original bacterium.
• Reasoning: Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes (sperm and egg) from two parents, so the offspring inherits a mix of genes from both, leading to genetic diversity. Asexual reproduction involves only one parent, and the offspring is a clone (genetically identical) because there is no mixing of genetic material from different sources; it's just a copy of the parent's genes.

Answer:

• Claim: Offspring of sexual reproduction have genetic variation, while offspring of asexual reproduction are genetically identical to the parent.
• Evidence:
• Sexual: Males produce sperm, females produce eggs; fertilization combines genetic material from two parents (as shown in the image: one sperm + one egg).
• Asexual: One parent produces offspring (e.g., mitosis - based processes), no mixing of genetic material from different sources.
• Reasoning: Sexual reproduction fuses genes from two parents, creating unique genetic combinations. Asexual reproduction copies the parent’s genes, so offspring are clones.