Question

a fertilized egg receives 50% of its chromosomes from a sperm and 50% from the egg. which process ensures that the sperm and egg contain only 50% of the chromosomes of an organism?
fertilization
meiosis
mitosis
mutation

Explanation:

• Fertilization: It is the process of sperm and egg fusing. It does not ensure the chromosome number in gametes (sperm and egg).
• Meiosis: A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half. This ensures that sperm and egg (gametes) have half the number of chromosomes of the parent organism. When fertilization occurs, the normal chromosome number is restored.
• Mitosis: Produces daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. It is for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction, not for gamete formation.
• Mutation: Refers to a change in the DNA sequence. It has no role in determining the chromosome number in gametes.

Answer:

meiosis