Which term describes the fusion of nuclei of male and female gametes to produce a diploid zygote?

Which term describes the fusion of nuclei of male and female gametes to produce a diploid zygote?

• A. Fertilisation
• B. Mitosis
• C. Meiosis
• D. Binary Fission

Answer: (A)

Fertilisation describes the joining of nuclei from a male and a female gamete, producing a zygote with a diploid chromosome number. This moment restores the two sets of chromosomes and combines genetic material from both parents, starting the development of a new organism. It isn’t about cell division that makes copies of cells (mitosis), nor about the process that halves chromosome numbers to form gametes (meiosis), nor about bacterial reproduction by splitting (binary fission). After fertilisation, the zygote typically begins to divide by mitosis to grow.

Fertilisation describes the joining of nuclei from a male and a female gamete, producing a zygote with a diploid chromosome number. This moment restores the two sets of chromosomes and combines genetic material from both parents, starting the development of a new organism. It isn’t about cell division that makes copies of cells (mitosis), nor about the process that halves chromosome numbers to form gametes (meiosis), nor about bacterial reproduction by splitting (binary fission). After fertilisation, the zygote typically begins to divide by mitosis to grow.