| Comparison | Mitosis | Meiosis |
| Purpose | Cellular Reproduction | Sexual Reproduction |
| Type of Reproduction | Asexual | Sexual |
| Type of Original Cell | Parent | Germ |
| Type of Daughter Cell | Somatic (Body) Cell | Sex Cell (Gamete) |
| Number of Cell Divisions | One | Two |
| Number of Daughter Cells | Two | Four |
| Homologous Pairing | No | Yes |
| Genetic Crossover | No | Yes |
| Daughter Cells’ Genetics | Identical | Different |
| Daughter Cells’ Ploidy | Diploid | Haploid |
| Number of Chromosomes | Same as Original Cell | Half of Original Cell |
| Human Chromosomes | 2 copies of 23 = 46 | 1 set of 23 = 23 |
Practice – Questions
1. Which of the following characterizes mitosis?
A. homologous pairing
B. genetic crossover
C. two cell divisions
D. cellular reproduction
2. Which of the following characterizes mitosis?
A. homologous pairing
B. genetic crossover
C. somatic cell
D. gamete
3. Which of the following characterizes meiosis?
A. diploid
B. identical daughter cells
C. sexual reproduction
D. one cell division
4. Which of the following characterizes meiosis?
A. haploid
B. identical daughter cells
C. somatic cell
D. asexual
5. Which of the following characterizes both mitosis and meiosis?
A. divide and conquer
B. spam
C. cell calling
D. cell division
Practice – Answers
1. D. cellular reproduction
2. C. somatic cell
3. C. sexual reproduction
4. A. haploid
5. D. cell division