Which of the Following is True of a Species That

Question

Which of the following is true of a species that has a chromosome number of 2n = 16?
A)The species is diploid with 32 chromosomes per cell.
B)The species has 16 sets of chromosomes per cell.
C)Each cell has eight homologous pairs.
D)During the S phase of the cell cycle there will be 32 separate chromosomes.
E)A gamete from this species has four chromosomes.

Accepted Answer

A chromosome number of 2n = 16 means that the species is diploid, with 16 total chromosomes (8 from each parent). Since diploid organisms have homologous pairs of chromosomes, there must be 8 homologous pairs in each cell. Option A is incorrect because it assumes that each chromosome is counted separately, which is not the case with diploid organisms. Option B is incorrect because it implies that each set of chromosomes is distinct, rather than the homologous pairs. Option D is incorrect because it assumes that the number of chromosomes doubles during S phase, which is not true for diploid organisms. Option E is incorrect because it describes the number of chromosomes in a haploid gamete, rather than a diploid organism.