Question

male sperm are produced from ____ cells by the process of ____.

• diploid; fertilization
• diploid; mitosis
• haploid; meiosis
• diploid; meiosis
• haploid; mitosis

Explanation:

Male sperm are produced through meiosis. Meiosis starts with diploid cells (cells with two sets of chromosomes). In meiosis, diploid cells divide to form haploid cells (sperm, which have one set of chromosomes). Fertilization is the union of sperm and egg, not the process of sperm production. Mitosis produces cells with the same chromosome number as the parent cell (diploid to diploid), which is not how sperm (haploid) are made. Haploid cells cannot be the starting point for sperm production via meiosis as meiosis reduces chromosome number (diploid to haploid). So the correct is diploid cells undergoing meiosis to produce sperm.

Answer:

D. diploid; meiosis