Lesson 3.4.3.2

3.4.3.2 Meiosis and genetic variation Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.3.2, Meiosis and genetic variation: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 4: Genetic information, variation and relationships, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How many nuclear divisions take place during the process of meiosis?

    • Four
    • Two
    • One
    • Three

  2. Which process during meiosis introduces genetic variation via maternal and paternal chromosomes?

    • Independent segregation
    • Transcription
    • DNA replication
    • Cytokinesis

  3. How many daughter cells are produced at the end of a single meiosis cycle?

    • Six
    • Three
    • Four
    • Two

  4. Which stage of meiosis is when homologous chromosomes pair up and crossing over can occur?

    • Telophase II
    • Prophase I
    • Prophase of mitosis
    • Metaphase II

  5. During the first division of meiosis, which structures separate into different cells?

    • Homologous chromosomes
    • Centrioles
    • Nucleoli
    • Sister chromatids

  6. A diploid cell with 2n = 4 undergoes meiosis without crossing over. How many different combinations of chromosomes can the gametes have?

    • 2
    • 16
    • 8
    • 4

  7. A species has n = 3 homologous pairs of chromosomes. How many different combinations of chromosomes can its gametes have without crossing over?

    • 9
    • 6
    • 8
    • 3

  8. A species has n = 3 homologous pairs, and random fertilisation of two gametes occurs without crossing over. How many different combinations of chromosomes are possible in the zygote?

    • 32
    • 16
    • 8
    • 64

  9. Which genetic process involves the exchange of alleles between non-sister chromatids?

    • Binary fission
    • Transcription
    • Splicing
    • Crossing over

  10. What structural difference remains between chromosomes after meiosis I and after meiosis II?

    • Single chromosomes
    • Two sister chromatids
    • Quadruple chromatids
    • No chromatids

  11. Which process during sexual reproduction combines chromosomes from different parents to increase genetic variation?

    • Mitotic division
    • Random fertilisation
    • Binary fission
    • Asexual reproduction

  12. Which key feature distinguishes meiosis from mitosis when observed in plant tissue?

    • Chromatid separation
    • Homologous pairing
    • Nuclear envelope breakdown
    • Spindle formation

  13. What biological process actually occurs during crossing over to reshuffle existing genes?

    • Gene duplication
    • Mutation creation
    • Chromosome loss
    • Allele recombination

  14. If a diploid parent cell has 2n = 6, how many chromosomes are in each cell after meiosis I?

    • 3 chromosomes
    • 12 chromosomes
    • 1.5 chromosomes
    • 6 chromosomes

  15. Which cellular combination shuffles alleles and combines them across generations to boost genetic diversity?

    • Mitosis and cloning
    • Meiosis and fertilisation
    • Asexual spore formation
    • Binary fission only

  16. What structure forms when homologous chromosomes pair up during prophase I of meiosis?

    • A centromere
    • A bivalent
    • A chromatid bridge
    • A spindle fibre

  17. A parent cell is diploid with 2n = 8. How many different chromosome combinations can its gametes have without crossing over?

    • 8
    • 4
    • 16
    • 32

  18. Two parents each have n = 4. Gametes fuse at random and crossing over is absent. How many chromosome combinations are possible in the zygote?

    • 32
    • 16
    • 64
    • 256

  19. What is produced by the end of normal meiosis in terms of daughter cell identity?

    • Identical diploid cells
    • Genetically different cells
    • Identical haploid cells
    • Genetically identical clones

  20. Which specific meiotic stage reduces the chromosome number from diploid to haploid?

    • Anaphase II
    • Interphase
    • Anaphase I
    • Metaphase II

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