Chromosome Shuffling in Gametes

In the picture

1. 1A gamete holding the red long chromosome and the red short chromosome
2. 2A gamete holding the red long chromosome and the blue short chromosome
3. 3A gamete holding the blue long chromosome and the red short chromosome
4. 4A gamete holding the blue long chromosome and the blue short chromosome

Examples

• Two siblings from the same parents can end up with different combinations of traits, like one getting mom’s eye color and dad’s height.
• Shuffling two decks of cards together and dealing hands, where every hand ends up with a different mix of cards.

Quiz: Chromosome Shuffling in Gametes (Age 18)

1. 1

   During meiosis I, what determines which chromosome from each homologous pair ends up in a particular gamete?

   • Pairs always separate in a fixed order from longest to shortest
   • Each pair orients at random on the spindle, independently of the other pairs
   • The larger chromosome in each pair always moves to the same side
2. 2

   Why can two gametes from the same person end up with different combinations of chromosomes?

   • Because chromosomes duplicate unevenly before meiosis begins
   • Because each pair separates independently, many different combinations are possible
   • Because only a few chromosome pairs actually separate during meiosis
3. 3

   Even though the exact mix of chromosomes varies, what can you always say about a single gamete produced by meiosis?

   • It only receives chromosomes from one of the two original pairs shown
   • It still receives one full set, with one chromosome from every pair
   • It sometimes receives both chromosomes from a pair and none from another

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.