Question 13

Cytokinesis occurs so that daughter cells can separate.

Cytokinesis is the process that follows mitosis, where the cytoplasm of a parental cell divides into two daughter cells. This separation is essential for the completion of cell division, allowing each daughter cell to possess its own organelles and genetic material.

A) DNA replication occurs

DNA replication is a crucial step that occurs before mitosis, not during cytokinesis. While DNA replication is necessary for ensuring that each daughter cell receives a complete set of chromosomes, it does not directly cause the separation of the cells.

B) Organelles generate energy

While organelles, such as mitochondria, play a vital role in energy production within a cell, this process is not directly related to cytokinesis. Cytokinesis specifically refers to the division of the cytoplasm and does not involve the energy-generating functions of organelles.

C) Bacteria are eliminated

Cytokinesis is not a process involved in the elimination of bacteria. Instead, it is a cellular mechanism for dividing eukaryotic cells. The presence or absence of bacteria does not influence the occurrence of cytokinesis in the context of normal cell division.

D) Daughter cells can separate

Cytokinesis is fundamentally about the physical separation of the cytoplasm and plasma membrane into two distinct daughter cells following mitosis. This separation is critical for ensuring that each daughter cell can function independently and maintain homeostasis.

Conclusion

Cytokinesis is essential for the successful division of a cell, allowing the formation of two separate daughter cells. Option D accurately captures the primary purpose of cytokinesis, while the other options misrepresent other processes or functions unrelated to cell division. Thus, D is the only viable answer to the question of why cytokinesis occurs.