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Multiple Choice
If a diploid organism has a total of 16 chromosomes in its somatic cells, how many homologous pairs of chromosomes does it have?
A
16
B
4
C
8
D
32
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of diploid organisms. Diploid organisms have two sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent. These chromosomes are organized into homologous pairs, where each pair consists of one chromosome from the mother and one from the father.
Step 2: Recall that the total number of chromosomes in somatic cells of a diploid organism is equal to twice the number of homologous pairs. This is because somatic cells are diploid and contain both sets of chromosomes.
Step 3: Use the formula to determine the number of homologous pairs: \( \text{Number of homologous pairs} = \frac{\text{Total number of chromosomes}}{2} \). In this case, the total number of chromosomes is 16.
Step 4: Substitute the given value into the formula: \( \text{Number of homologous pairs} = \frac{16}{2} \). Perform the division to find the number of homologous pairs.
Step 5: Conclude that the organism has 8 homologous pairs of chromosomes, as this is the result of dividing the total number of chromosomes by 2.