Question

What is the total number of chromosomes in an organism with a haploid number of 24 chromosomes?
A. 6
B. 12
C. 24
D. 36
E. 48

Answer 1

Hint: During the process of reproduction, the zygote formed is a single-cell always diploid. In addition, the diploid cell stage thus forms double chromosomes. The chromosomes are located inside the nucleus of a cell.

Complete answer: Ploidy of a cell means the number of chromosome sets present in the cell nucleus. The two major ploidy types are haploid and diploid. A nucleus having a set of 24 chromosomes is called a haploid cell. On the other hand, the cells with two sets of 24 chromosomes are referred to as diploid.

Option A cannot be the right answer as it is not feasible for an organism with a haploid set of 24 chromosomes to have 6 chromosomes in total.
Option B is also incorrect as a haploid set of the chromosome itself contains 24 chromosomes. So the cell cannot have chromosomes less than 24 in its diploid stage.
Option C is also incorrect. An organism having its haploid number 24 will have double the number of chromosomes in its diploid stage that is $24\times 2$ chromosomes.
Option D is inappropriate as the double or diploid stage of the haploid of 24 chromosomes cannot be 36.
Option E is 48. This is the right answer as the diploid set of a haploid of 24 chromosomes will be $24\times 2=48$. So, the total number of chromosomes in an organism with a haploid number of 24 chromosomes will be 48.
Thus, the right answer is option E.

Note: during the process of meiosis, a diploid cell gives rise to 4 daughter cells each having a haploid set of chromosomes. But during the reproductive phase, the haploid cells unite to result in a diploid zygote. The number of chromosomes present in a cell along with the visual appearance of its chromosomes is called the karyotype of the cell.