Lesson 3.4.3.2

3.4.3.2 Meiosis and genetic variation Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.3.2, Meiosis and genetic variation: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 4: Genetic information, variation and relationships, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How many nuclear divisions take place in meiosis?

    • Two, producing two diploid daughter cells that are genetically identical.
    • Two, producing four haploid daughter cells from one diploid parent cell.
    • One, producing two diploid daughter cells from one haploid parent cell.
    • Three, producing eight haploid daughter cells from one diploid parent cell.

  2. Which process produces genetically different daughter cells in meiosis?

    • Independent segregation of homologous chromosomes and crossing over between homologous chromosomes.
    • Replication of DNA during interphase, which copies the chromosomes exactly.
    • Cytokinesis that divides the cytoplasm equally between the two daughter cells.
    • Splitting of sister chromatids at the centromere during anaphase of mitosis.

  3. What is the outcome of mitosis compared with meiosis?

    • Mitosis produces gametes, while meiosis produces two diploid cells that are used for growth.
    • Mitosis and meiosis both produce four genetically identical haploid cells in every case.
    • Mitosis produces two genetically identical diploid cells, while meiosis produces four genetically different haploid cells.
    • Mitosis produces four genetically different haploid cells, while meiosis produces two identical diploid cells.

  4. Which stage of meiosis is when homologous chromosomes pair up and crossing over can occur?

    • Telophase II
    • Prophase I
    • Prophase of mitosis
    • Metaphase II

  5. During meiosis, what happens to homologous chromosomes at the first division?

    • They are separated into different daughter cells, so each cell receives one of each homologous pair.
    • They are replicated again, so each daughter cell has four copies of each chromosome.
    • They are destroyed during prophase, so the daughter cells are formed from sister chromatids only.
    • They are joined together at the centromere, so each daughter cell keeps the full diploid set.

  6. A diploid cell with 2n = 4 undergoes meiosis without crossing over. How many different combinations of chromosomes can the gametes have?

    • 2
    • 16
    • 8
    • 4

  7. A species has n = 3 homologous pairs of chromosomes. How many different combinations of chromosomes can its gametes have without crossing over?

    • 9
    • 6
    • 8
    • 3

  8. A species has n = 3 homologous pairs, and random fertilisation of two gametes occurs without crossing over. How many different combinations of chromosomes are possible in the zygote?

    • 32
    • 16
    • 8
    • 64

  9. Why does meiosis produce genetically different daughter cells even though the chromosomes are identical copies at the start?

    • Sister chromatids are separated at random in the first division, so each cell gets a different number of DNA molecules.
    • The spindle fibres attach to different parts of the chromosomes, so the daughter cells receive different genes.
    • The chromosomes are replicated again in meiosis, so each daughter receives a different set of genes.
    • Homologous chromosomes are shuffled by independent segregation and crossing over, so each daughter cell receives a different mix.

  10. Which is a difference between the chromosome content of cells after meiosis I and after meiosis II?

    • After meiosis I the chromosomes have been destroyed, and after meiosis II they are replicated again.
    • After meiosis I each chromosome still has two sister chromatids, while after meiosis II the chromatids have separated.
    • After meiosis I the cells are diploid, and after meiosis II the cells are diploid with the same number of chromosomes.
    • After meiosis I the chromosomes are single chromatids, while after meiosis II they have two sister chromatids each.

  11. Which statement explains how random fertilisation of haploid gametes increases genetic variation?

    • Gametes always fuse with the gamete that is genetically identical to them, so no new combinations form.
    • Any gamete from one parent can fuse with any gamete from the other parent, creating many new combinations.
    • Gametes fuse by binary fission, which means each zygote receives all of the chromosomes of one parent only.
    • Gametes fuse only in the nucleus of the parent cell, so the variation is removed before the zygote forms.

  12. A researcher observes meiosis in prepared slides of plant tissue. Which feature would show that a cell is in meiosis rather than mitosis?

    • Formation of a cell plate, which occurs only in meiosis and never in mitosis.
    • Pairing of homologous chromosomes, which does not occur in mitosis.
    • The presence of a nuclear envelope, which is absent only in meiosis.
    • Replication of DNA in the cell, which occurs only in mitosis.

  13. A student says that crossing over produces new genes. Evaluate this claim.

    • The claim is right, because crossing over changes the genetic code so that new codons are formed.
    • The claim is right, because crossing over creates entirely new genes that have never existed in the population.
    • The claim is partly right, because crossing over produces new genes only when the cell undergoes mitosis.
    • The claim is wrong, because crossing over exchanges sections between homologous chromosomes, so existing genes are recombined.

  14. Which statement describes the number of chromosomes in a cell before and after meiosis I, if the parent cell is diploid with 2n = 6?

    • Before meiosis I the cell has 6 chromosomes, and after meiosis I each cell has 3 chromosomes.
    • Before meiosis I the cell has 12 chromosomes, and after meiosis I each cell has 6 chromosomes.
    • Before meiosis I the cell has 6 chromosomes, and after meiosis I each cell still has 6 chromosomes.
    • Before meiosis I the cell has 3 chromosomes, and after meiosis I each cell has 6 chromosomes.

  15. Which event is most likely to lead to an increase in genetic diversity within a population?

    • Mitosis in one individual that produces many identical copies of the same cells.
    • Meiosis in many individuals, combined with random fertilisation of their gametes.
    • Splicing of pre-mRNA in a cell that removes introns from the same gene each time.
    • Binary fission in a single prokaryote that produces identical daughter cells.

  16. Which structure is formed when homologous chromosomes pair during prophase I of meiosis?

    • A plasmid that carries extra genes and passes between homologous chromosomes during prophase.
    • A bivalent, made of two homologous chromosomes that each consist of two sister chromatids.
    • A nucleosome, formed when DNA is wound around a core of histone proteins in the nucleus.
    • A single chromatid that has detached from its centromere and is free in the nucleoplasm.

  17. A parent cell is diploid with 2n = 8. How many different chromosome combinations can its gametes have without crossing over?

    • 8
    • 4
    • 16
    • 32

  18. Two parents each have n = 4. Gametes fuse at random and crossing over is absent. How many chromosome combinations are possible in the zygote?

    • 32
    • 16
    • 64
    • 256

  19. A student says that meiosis always produces four identical haploid cells. Evaluate this claim.

    • The claim is right, because meiosis copies the parental chromosomes exactly into all four daughter cells.
    • The claim is wrong, because independent segregation and crossing over make the four cells genetically different.
    • The claim is right, because meiosis produces identical cells in plants but not in animals.
    • The claim is partly right, because only crossing over makes cells different, and independent segregation does not.

  20. Which process reduces the chromosome number from diploid to haploid?

    • Mitosis, through separation of sister chromatids at anaphase of each division.
    • Binary fission, through replication of the circular chromosome in a prokaryotic cell.
    • Meiosis, through separation of homologous chromosomes at the first division.
    • Cytokinesis, through division of the cytoplasm after telophase has finished.

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