Overview of sexual reproduction

After human egg and sperm cells combine, by what process does the offspring grow in size?

after fertilization, the zygote continues to divide by mitosis developing into a human baby

What is the general term used to describe animal sex cells? What are the specific male and female sex cells called?

animal sex cells are called gametes. Male sex cells are called spermatocytes and female sex cells are called Oocytes.

List three characteristics of offspring determined by chromosomes.

eye color, skin color, and gender

describe oocytes

female sex cells - eggs

What is the general term used to describe the organs in which gametes are produced? What are the names of the specific male and female gamete producing organs?

gonads is the term used to describe the organs. Male gonads are the Testes and the female gonads are the ovaries.

what is Copulation?

sexual union to facilitate the reception of sperm by a female. In terrestrial animals, males typically have a penis for depositing sperm into the vagina of females.

spermatocytes

sperm cells

What is the name of the cell produced by union of human egg and a sperm cells and how many chromosomes does it possess?

zygote, 46 chromosomes

Division of human sex cells by meiosis produces how many cells containing how many chromosomes in each?

4 cells, 23 chromosomes each

Division of human cells by mitosis produces cells which have how many chromosomes?

46 chromosomes

zygote

fertilized egg

Gender is determined by which parent's sex cell?

gender is determined by the father sperm cell, whether the offspring receives an X or Y chromosome

How many chromosomes of what type are possessed by a female and a male?

male= X-Y chromosomes female= Y-Y chromosomes

What is the general term used to describe the process of sexual union and what male and female organs are involved in this process?

Copulation is sexual union to facilitate the reception of the sperm by the female. In terrestrial animals, males typically have a penis for depositing sperm into the vagina of females

Gametes

Sex cells

describe mitosis

The first division of the gametes provides two new cells that have the whole set of chromosomes

List 2 functions carried out by the cells other than germ cells in gamete producing organs.

The other cells in a gonad support and nourish the developing gametes or produce hormones necessary to the reproductive process.

describe meiosis

The second division of the gametes, which only occurs in reproductive cells and they form four gametes with only half of the chromosomes.

What advantage is produced by an offspring having a different combination of genes than either parent?

This is an advantage specifically if the environment is changing. The offspring may be better adapted to the new environment than either parent.

How does it happen that an offspring has a different combination of genes than either parent?

When animals reproduce sexually, an offspring inherits half its genes from one parent and the other half from the other parent.