Question

sexual reproduction results in genetic variation in part because the offsprings dna is a blend of their parents dna. during sexual reproduction, an egg cell from one parent and a sperm cell from the other parent combine to create a zygote that will develop into a new organism. egg and sperm cells, or gametes, are haploid, so they only have half as many chromosomes as diploid somatic cells. human gametes have 23 chromosomes. so when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, the resulting zygote contains 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes, or 46 total chromosomes. select the true statements. during sexual reproduction, two diploid cells combine to form a haploid cell. gametes contain half as many chromosomes as somatic cells do. human zygotes contain 46 total chromosomes. sexually reproducing organisms get all of their chromosomes from one parent.

Explanation:

1. The first statement is false: sexual reproduction combines two haploid gametes to form a diploid zygote, not diploid cells forming a haploid cell.
2. The second statement is true: gametes are haploid, somatic cells are diploid, so gametes have half the chromosomes of somatic cells.
3. The third statement is true: human gametes have 23 chromosomes each; their fusion creates a zygote with 23 pairs = 46 total chromosomes.
4. The fourth statement is false: sexually reproducing organisms inherit half their chromosomes from each parent, not all from one.

Answer:

• B. Gametes contain half as many chromosomes as somatic cells do.
• C. Human zygotes contain 46 total chromosomes.