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Multiple Choice
During which phase of mitosis do the chromosomes separate?
A
Telophase
B
Metaphase
C
Anaphase
D
Prophase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the process of mitosis, which is the division of a single cell into two genetically identical daughter cells. Mitosis consists of several phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Recall that during prophase, the chromosomes condense and become visible, and the mitotic spindle begins to form.
In metaphase, the chromosomes align at the cell's equatorial plane, known as the metaphase plate, preparing for separation.
Anaphase is the phase where the sister chromatids are pulled apart by the spindle fibers towards opposite poles of the cell. This is the key phase where chromosome separation occurs.
Finally, in telophase, the separated chromatids reach the opposite poles, and the nuclear envelope re-forms around each set of chromosomes, completing the process of mitosis.