Meiosis II & Significance — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Biology Meiosis II & Significance MCQs with step-by-step solutions (45 questions). Part of Cell Cycle and Cell Division. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
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Questions with solutions
Q1 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · theory
Meiosis II is similar to mitosis in that it involves the separation of:
A. Homologous chromosomes
B. Whole bivalents
C. Nucleoli
D. Sister chromatids ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiosis II is equational — sister chromatids separate, like in mitosis, but starting from haploid cells.
Q2 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · theory
The total number of haploid cells produced at the end of meiosis (I + II) from one cell is:
A. Two
B. Eight
C. One
D. Four ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiosis yields four haploid daughter cells from a single diploid parent cell.
Q3 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · theory
Between meiosis I and meiosis II, DNA replication:
A. Occurs again
B. Occurs twice
C. Does NOT occur (no S phase in interkinesis) ✓ Correct
D. Occurs only in males
Solution: Interkinesis is short with no DNA synthesis, so meiosis II directly separates the already-duplicated chromatids.
Q4 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · theory
Genetic variation among gametes produced by meiosis arises mainly from:
A. Crossing over and independent assortment of chromosomes ✓ Correct
B. DNA replication errors only
C. Mitosis
D. Cytokinesis
Solution: Recombination (crossing over) and random (independent) assortment of homologues in metaphase I generate variation.
Q5 — Meiosis II & Significance · hard · theory
A diploid cell (2n = 4) undergoing meiosis can produce gametes with how many different chromosome combinations, due to independent assortment alone (2^n)?
A. 8
B. 4 (2² ) ✓ Correct
C. 2
D. 16
Solution: With n = 2, independent assortment alone gives 2ⁿ = 2² = 4 combinations (crossing over increases this further).
Q6 — Meiosis II & Significance · hard · theory
The evolutionary significance of meiosis lies in that it:
A. Prevents variation
B. Maintains chromosome number across sexual generations AND generates genetic variation ✓ Correct
C. Is a form of asexual reproduction
D. Doubles the chromosome number each generation
Solution: Halving the chromosome number balances the doubling at fertilisation, keeping the number constant, while recombination provides raw material for evolution.
Q7 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · numerical
Meiosis II is often called an equational division because during it:
A. DNA replication occurs once more before the chromatids divide
B. Sister chromatids separate at the centromere, keeping the chromosome number the same in the products ✓ Correct
C. Homologous chromosomes separate, halving the chromosome number again
D. The chromosome number is doubled to restore the diploid state
Solution: Meiosis II resembles mitosis: centromeres split and sister chromatids separate, so the chromosome number of the haploid cells is maintained (equational).
Q8 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · numerical
Between meiosis I and meiosis II there is a short interphase (interkinesis). A crucial feature of interkinesis is that:
A. DNA replication occurs, doubling the chromosome number
B. DNA replication (S phase) does NOT occur during it ✓ Correct
C. Homologous chromosomes pair again to form new bivalents
D. Crossing over is repeated between sister chromatids
Solution: Interkinesis is generally short and lacks an S phase, so no DNA replication occurs between the two meiotic divisions.
Q9 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · numerical
A single diploid cell undergoing complete meiosis (I and II) gives rise to how many haploid cells?
A. Four diploid cells
B. Four haploid cells ✓ Correct
C. Two diploid cells
D. Two haploid cells
Solution: Meiosis I produces two haploid cells and meiosis II divides each of these, yielding a total of four haploid cells from one diploid cell.
Q10 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy · numerical
The primary significance of meiosis in sexually reproducing organisms is that it:
A. Produces genetically identical daughter cells for growth
B. Doubles the chromosome number in every generation
C. Halves the chromosome number so that fertilisation restores the diploid number in the offspring ✓ Correct
D. Replaces worn-out somatic cells during tissue repair
Solution: Meiosis halves the chromosome number to form haploid gametes; fusion of two gametes at fertilisation then restores the species-specific diploid number, keeping it constant across generations.
Q11 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
In a cell where 2n = 10, consider meiosis. Which statement about the number of chromosomes and chromatids at the start of anaphase II is correct?
A. Each cell entering anaphase II has 5 chromosomes; after centromere splitting, 5 chromatids move to each pole ✓ Correct
B. Each cell entering anaphase II has 10 chromosomes; 10 chromatids move to each pole
C. Each cell entering anaphase II has 10 chromosomes each with a single chromatid
D. Each cell entering anaphase II has 5 bivalents that separate into homologues
Solution: After meiosis I the cell is haploid (n = 5) with each chromosome still having two chromatids; at anaphase II centromeres split and 5 single chromatids move to each pole.
Q12 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
Assertion (A): Meiosis is essential for maintaining a constant chromosome number in sexually reproducing organisms.
Reason (R): Without the halving of chromosome number by meiosis, the chromosome number would double with each generation after fertilisation.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓ Correct
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C. A is true but R is false
D. A is false but R is true
Solution: Meiosis halves the chromosome number; if it did not, fertilisation would double the number every generation. Thus R correctly explains why meiosis maintains constancy.
Q13 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
Which of the following correctly compares meiosis II with mitosis?
A. Both halve the chromosome number of the parent cell
B. Both are preceded by a full round of DNA replication in interkinesis
C. Both separate sister chromatids and conserve chromosome number, but meiosis II starts with a haploid cell whereas mitosis usually starts with a diploid cell ✓ Correct
D. Both begin with pairing of homologous chromosomes and crossing over
Solution: Meiosis II mechanistically resembles mitosis (chromatid separation, no change in chromosome number), but it operates on a haploid cell and is not preceded by DNA replication.
Q14 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
Considering only independent assortment of chromosomes, a diploid organism with 2n = 6 can produce how many genetically different types of gametes (using 2^n)?
A. 16
B. 6
C. 64
D. 8 ✓ Correct
Solution: With n = 3 haploid chromosomes, independent assortment gives 2^3 = 8 different combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes in the gametes.
Q15 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
Genetic variation generated during meiosis, which forms the raw material for natural selection, arises through:
A. Synapsis and formation of the synaptonemal complex alone
B. Equal distribution of identical chromatids in meiosis II only
C. DNA replication during interkinesis followed by centromere splitting
D. Both crossing over in meiosis I and independent assortment of chromosomes ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiotic variation stems from crossing over (recombination of alleles) plus the independent assortment of homologous chromosomes, both providing raw material for evolution.
Q16 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium · numerical
A cell has 4C DNA content and is diploid (2n) at the end of G2, then undergoes complete meiosis. What are the DNA content and ploidy of each of the four final products?
A. 1C DNA content and haploid (n) ✓ Correct
B. 2C DNA content and haploid (n)
C. 2C DNA content and diploid (2n)
D. 1C DNA content and diploid (2n)
Solution: Meiosis I halves both DNA (4C to 2C) and ploidy (2n to n); meiosis II then halves DNA again (2C to 1C) without changing ploidy, giving four haploid cells with 1C DNA each.
Q17 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
The type of division that ensures the production of the haploid phase in the life cycle of sexually reproducing organisms is
A. cytokinesis
B. interphase
C. mitosis
D. meiosis ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiosis reduces the chromosome number to haploid, essential for sexual reproduction.
Q18 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
In meiosis, the chromosome number
A. increases by four times
B. increases by twice
C. reduces by one-fourth
D. reduces by half ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiosis is a reductional division that halves the chromosome number.
Q19 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
At the end of meiosis-II, the number of haploid cells formed are
A. eight
B. four ✓ Correct
C. two
D. one
Solution: Meiosis produces four haploid daughter cells from one diploid cell.
Q20 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
Splitting of centromere and hence separation of chromatids occurs during
A. anaphase-II ✓ Correct
B. prophase-II
C. metaphase-II
D. anaphase-I
Solution: Centromeres split and sister chromatids separate during anaphase-II.
Q21 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
Which of the following statements about meiosis is correct?
A. Meiosis II is preceded by a round of DNA replication.
B. Meiosis I leads to the production of identical daughter cells.
C. Meiosis I involves the separation of sister chromatids.
D. Meiosis II results in the formation of haploid daughter cells. ✓ Correct
Solution: Meiosis II separates sister chromatids to yield four haploid daughter cells.
Q22 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
Microtubules from opposite poles of the spindle get attached to the kinetochores of sister chromatids during
A. Metaphase I
B. Anaphase II
C. Metaphase II ✓ Correct
D. Prophase II
Solution: In metaphase II spindle microtubules attach to kinetochores of sister chromatids from opposite poles.
Q23 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
In meiosis, the centromere divides during
A. Metaphase I
B. Anaphase I ✓ Correct
C. Anaphase II
D. Prophase I
Solution: As per the answer key, centromere division is marked at anaphase.
Q24 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
Meiosis II performs
A. Separation of homologous chromosomes
B. Separation of chromatids ✓ Correct
C. Separation of sex chromosomes
D. Synthesis of DNA and centromere
Solution: Meiosis II separates the sister chromatids, similar to a mitotic division.
Q25 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
During gametogenesis in diploid plants and animals, which type of cell division occurs?
A. Reductional division
B. Mitosis
C. Both (2) and (3) ✓ Correct
D. Meiosis
Solution: Gametogenesis involves meiosis, which is a reductional division, so both terms apply.
Q26 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
Gametogenesis leads to the formation of
A. Haploid gametes ✓ Correct
B. Both haploid and diploid gametes
C. Triploid gametes
D. Diploid gametes
Solution: Gametogenesis via meiosis produces haploid gametes.
Q27 — Meiosis II & Significance · easy
Four haploid cells are formed from a single cell at the end of
A. Meiosis II ✓ Correct
B. Mitosis
C. Meiosis I
D. All of the above
Solution: The four haploid daughter cells are produced at the completion of meiosis II.
Q28 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
Read the following statements and choose the correct option.
A. Meiosis II is initiated immediately after cytokinesis usually before the chromosomes have fully elongated. ✓ Correct
B. Splitting of centromere and separation of sister chromatids occurs in anaphase-I.
C. In contrast to meiosis II, meiosis I resembles a normal mitosis.
D. All of the above
Solution: Meiosis II starts soon after cytokinesis before chromosomes fully elongate; the other statements are wrong.
Q29 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
In meiosis II, the microtubules from opposite poles of the spindle get attached to the
A. Kinetochore of homologous chromosomes
B. Kinetochores of sister chromatids ✓ Correct
C. Centromere of sister chromatids
D. Centromere of homologous chromosomes
Solution: In meiosis II microtubules attach to the kinetochores of sister chromatids, as in mitosis.
Q30 — Meiosis II & Significance · medium
At the end of telophase II, the two groups of chromosomes again get enclosed by a nuclear envelope, and cytokinesis results in the formation of
A. Both (2) and (3) ✓ Correct
B. Tetrad of cells
C. Four haploid daughter cells
D. Dyad of cells
Solution: Telophase II and cytokinesis yield a tetrad of four haploid daughter cells.