Biological termModerate0.5 marks
6(b)
Give appropriate biological / technical terms for the following:
A pair of corresponding chromosomes of the same size and shape, one from each parent.
Topic: Homologous chromosomes
Previous-year question practice database
Answer
Exam answer
HOMOLOGOUS CHROMOSOMES.
Explanation
In a diploid cell the 46 chromosomes exist as 23 HOMOLOGOUS PAIRS — one member of each pair from the father and one from the mother. They are alike in shape, size and centromere position, and carry genes for the SAME characters at the SAME loci.
WHY THEY MATTER: during MEIOSIS the homologous pairs SEPARATE, one member going to each gamete. That is the PHYSICAL BASIS of MENDEL’S LAW OF SEGREGATION — the two alleles separate because the two chromosomes carrying them separate.
Do not confuse HOMOLOGOUS CHROMOSOMES (a pair from two parents) with CHROMATIDS (two identical copies of one chromosome, made by replication).
More from Structure of Chromosomes, Cell Cycle and Cell Division
A sequence of DNA has 300 nitrogenous base pairs, of which 75 are Guanine. What is the number of Thymine in this sequence?2026Which is the resting but metabolically active stage of the cell cycle?2026Mention the number of Autosomes and Allosomes in a human body cell.2026Draw a neat, labelled diagram of an animal cell showing the Prophase stage of Mitosis with four chromosomes.2026Differentiate between Mitosis in a plant cell and an animal cell based on Cytokinesis.2026A phase of cell division where the spindle fibres disappear is:2025