Describe the process of meiosis, including how it differs from mitosis in terms of the cells produced.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
Meiosis is a type of cell division that occurs in the reproductive organs to produce gametes. It is different from mitosis in several important ways.
Model answer (5 marks)
Meiosis consists of two successive divisions, meiosis I and meiosis II, so the cell divides twice.
It produces four daughter cells (gametes) that are haploid, each containing half the chromosome number of the parent cell.
In contrast, mitosis produces only two daughter cells that are diploid and have the same chromosome number as the parent.
The four gametes are genetically different from one another and from the parent cell because of crossing‑over and independent assortment during meiosis I.
It produces four daughter cells (gametes) that are haploid, each containing half the chromosome number of the parent cell.
In contrast, mitosis produces only two daughter cells that are diploid and have the same chromosome number as the parent.
The four gametes are genetically different from one another and from the parent cell because of crossing‑over and independent assortment during meiosis I.
Examiner tips
- Use the word ‘two divisions’ to show you know meiosis I and II; mention haploid vs diploid; compare number of cells produced; highlight genetic variation.
- Include the key terms: ‘two divisions’, ‘four daughter cells’, ‘haploid’, ‘diploid’, ‘genetically different’.
- Keep the answer concise – 5 points can be covered in 4–5 sentences.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the number of divisions (writing only one division); not stating that the cells are haploid; mixing up mitosis and meiosis in terms of chromosome number; failing to mention genetic variation.
Mark scheme (5 marks)
- Meiosis involves two divisions (meiosis I and meiosis II) / the cell divides twice
- Meiosis produces four daughter cells / gametes
- The daughter cells produced by meiosis are haploid / contain half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell
- Mitosis produces two daughter cells that are diploid / contain the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell
- The four daughter cells produced by meiosis are genetically different from each other / not identical to the parent cell
Key terms in this question
Related
- All AQA A-Level Biology (7402) revision notes →
- How to answer a "Describe" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →
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