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Multiple Choice
In a typical human cell undergoing mitosis or meiosis, how many chromosomes does the cell start with?
A
46 chromosomes
B
23 chromosomes
C
12 chromosomes
D
92 chromosomes
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that human cells are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
Recognize that a typical human cell starts with 46 chromosomes, which is the total number of chromosomes in a diploid cell.
During mitosis, the cell maintains the diploid number of chromosomes, so it starts with 46 chromosomes and ends with two identical cells, each with 46 chromosomes.
In meiosis, the process begins with a diploid cell containing 46 chromosomes, but results in four haploid cells, each with 23 chromosomes.
Remember that the number 92 chromosomes is not typical for a human cell; it might refer to a temporary state during cell division when chromosomes are duplicated but not yet separated.