Meiosis: making egg and sperm cells with half the chromosomes

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari reads a card for a model body cell. Which words describe a cell that has two matching sets of chromosomes?

   • Haploid, written 2n
   • Haploid, written n
   • Diploid, written n
   • Diploid, written 2n
2. 2.

   The front of the card reads n. The back is blank. Bo makes a flash card for the letter n. Which meaning belongs on the back?

   • Two sets of chromosomes, as in a body cell
   • One set of chromosomes, as in an egg or sperm cell
   • The number of cells made by one division
   • Two copies of one chromosome joined together
3. 3.

   Four cells (model, not to scale). Body cells of this animal have 4 chromosomes, drawn as 2 matching pairs. Esme looks at four cells from a model animal whose body cells have 4 chromosomes. Which cell is haploid?

   • Cell S: 8 chromosomes in 4 matching pairs
   • Cell R: 2 chromosomes that are a matching pair
   • Cell P: 4 chromosomes in 2 matching pairs
   • Cell Q: 2 chromosomes, one from each pair
4. 4.

   Kira reads that a body cell of a model animal has 6 chromosomes. How many chromosomes are in one sperm cell of that animal?

   • 6 chromosomes
   • 12 chromosomes
   • 2 chromosomes
   • 3 chromosomes

5. Read this first

   Count card (model)

   Sperm cell, 5 chromosomes. Egg cell, 5 chromosomes. The two cells join in fertilization to make a new cell (a zygote) with ? chromosomes.

6. 5.

   In a model animal, a sperm cell with 5 chromosomes joins an egg cell with 5 chromosomes. How many chromosomes does the new cell have, asks Luz?

   • 5 chromosomes
   • 20 chromosomes
   • 15 chromosomes
   • 10 chromosomes

7. Use this

   Flow card (model, not to scale):

8. 6.

   One body cell goes through the whole of meiosis. How many cells does Milo count at the end?

   • Eight cells
   • One cell
   • Two cells
   • Four cells
9. 7.

   Noah counts the divisions in meiosis, from the starting cell to the finished cells. How many divisions are there?

   • Three divisions
   • Four divisions, one for each finished cell
   • One division
   • Two divisions, one after the other
10. 8.

    Ren studies four pictures of a cell with 4 chromosomes. Which picture shows the finished haploid cells at the end of meiosis?

    • Picture B: two cells with 2 X-shaped chromosomes each
    • Picture D: four cells with 4 single rods each
    • Picture C: four cells with 2 single rods each
    • Picture A: one cell with 4 X-shaped chromosomes
11. 9.

    Tala studies picture R, taken during the first division of meiosis. Which parts are being pulled to opposite ends?

    • The two nuclei of the cell
    • The two members of each matching pair
    • The spindle fibers themselves
    • The two sister chromatids of each X

12. Use this

    Picture S (model, not to scale): one of the cells made by the first division. It holds 2 chromosomes that do not match each other. Each X has split into 2 single rods. At each end sit 2 single rods.

13. 10.

    Zee studies picture S, taken during the second division of meiosis. Which parts are being pulled to opposite ends?

    • The two cells made last time
    • The two sister chromatids of each chromosome
    • The two nuclei of the cell
    • The two members of each matching pair