Question 48

Each of the resulting daughter cells will have a total of 32 chromosomes.

During mitosis, a cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells, each containing the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. Therefore, if the original cell has 32 chromosomes, both daughter cells will also have 32 chromosomes.

A) 8

This option is incorrect because it suggests that the chromosome number is significantly reduced after mitosis. Mitosis preserves the original chromosome count, thus 8 chromosomes would not be possible from a cell with 32 chromosomes.

B) 16

This option is incorrect as well. A reduction to 16 chromosomes implies that the cell has undergone a reduction division, which is characteristic of meiosis, not mitosis. Mitosis maintains the original chromosome number.

C) 32

This option is correct. Mitosis results in two daughter cells that each have the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. Therefore, with 32 chromosomes originally, each daughter cell will indeed have 32 chromosomes after mitosis.

D) 64

This option is incorrect as it suggests that the chromosome number has doubled after mitosis. Such an increase in chromosome number does not occur in mitosis; rather, it is a feature of processes like DNA replication that precedes cell division.

Conclusion

The correct answer is 32 chromosomes because mitosis functions to create two genetically identical daughter cells that maintain the same chromosome number as the parent cell. All other options incorrectly suggest either a reduction or an increase in chromosome number, which does not occur during the process of mitosis.