The members of a homologous pair of chromosomes
A) are identical in size and appearance.
B) contain identical genetic information.
C) separate to opposite poles of the cell during mitosis.
D) are found only in haploid cells.
E) are present only after the S phase.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Homologous chromosomes are two chromosomes, one inherited from each parent, that have the same genes at the same locations but may have different alleles (variants of the same gene). They are not identical in genetic information, as they can have different versions of the same gene. However, they are similar in size and appearance, which is why they are called homologous.

Answer: C 
 During mitosis, the homologous pairs of chromosomes do not separate to opposite poles of the cell. Instead, each chromosome of the pair attaches to a spindle fiber that pulls it to the opposite poles of the cell. This results in each daughter cell having one complete set of chromosomes, with each chromosome consisting of a single chromatid.

Answer: D 
 Homologous chromosomes are present only in diploid cells, which have two sets of chromosomes (one from each parent). Haploid cells have only one set of chromosomes and do not have homologous pairs.

Answer: E 
 Homologous pairs of chromosomes are present before the S phase, which is when DNA replication occurs. After the S phase, each chromosome of the pair consists of two sister chromatids, which are identical copies of the same DNA molecule.

The Members of a Homologous Pair of Chromosomes