Haploid and diploid refer to what?

• A. Haploid means two sets of chromosomes; Diploid means one set.
• B. Haploid means one set; Diploid means two sets.
• C. Haploid means three sets; Diploid means two sets.
• D. Haploid means one set; Diploid means three sets.

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how many complete chromosome sets a cell contains. A haploid cell has one complete set of chromosomes (n). A diploid cell has two complete sets (2n), usually one set from each parent. In humans, for example, gametes are haploid with 23 chromosomes, while body cells are diploid with 46. When a sperm and egg combine, their haploid sets form a diploid zygote. The other statements mix up the numbers or introduce a third set, which isn’t how haploid and diploid are defined.