Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
What can cause an offspring to have a physical trait that neither of its parents has?
A
Binary fission
B
Crossing over during meiosis
C
Independent assortment of chromosomes
D
Mitosis
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that the question is asking about genetic variation and how offspring can have traits not present in either parent.
Recall that meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half and is essential for sexual reproduction.
During meiosis, two key processes contribute to genetic variation: crossing over and independent assortment.
Crossing over occurs during prophase I of meiosis, where homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material, leading to new combinations of alleles.
Recognize that crossing over can result in offspring having unique traits that are not present in either parent, as it creates new combinations of genes.