Florida Biology EOC Practice Test

Which process results in four haploid daughter cells?

1. Cytokinesis

2. Mitosis

3. Meiosis

4. S phase

The correct answer is: Cytokinesis

The process that results in four haploid daughter cells is meiosis. During meiosis, a single diploid cell undergoes two rounds of division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II, leading to the formation of four genetically distinct haploid cells. This is crucial in sexual reproduction, as these haploid cells can develop into gametes (sperm and eggs), which contribute to genetic diversity in offspring. Cytokinesis, mentioned in your answer, is actually the process that follows mitosis or meiosis, where the cytoplasm of a parental cell divides to create daughter cells. While cytokinesis does occur at the end of meiosis, it is not the process that specifically generates four haploid daughter cells; rather, it is the culmination of meiosis. Mitosis, on the other hand, produces two diploid daughter cells identical to the original cell, while the S phase is a part of the cell cycle where DNA is replicated in preparation for cell division but does not directly result in haploid cells. Therefore, meiosis is undeniably the correct choice for the question regarding the formation of four haploid daughter cells.