If there are 20 chromatids in a meristematic cell at metaphase, how many chromosomes are there in each daughter cell following cytokinesis?

Options

A. 10
B. 20
C. 30
D. 40

Answer

To solve the question, we need to determine how many chromosomes are present in each daughter cell after cytokinesis, given that there are 20 chromatids in a meristematic cell at metaphase.

### Step-by-step Solution:

1. **Understanding Chromatids and Chromosomes**:
- Chromatids are the two identical halves of a replicated chromosome. During metaphase, chromosomes are aligned at the equator of the cell, and each chromosome consists of two sister chromatids.

2. **Identifying the Number of Chromosomes**:
- If there are 20 chromatids present in the cell, we need to find out how many chromosomes this corresponds to. Since each chromosome consists of 2 chromatids, we can find the number of chromosomes by dividing the total number of chromatids by 2.

\[ \text{Number of chromosomes} = \frac{\text{Number of chromatids}}{2} = \frac{20}{2} = 10 \]

3. **Understanding Cytokinesis**:
- Cytokinesis is the process that follows mitosis, where the cytoplasm of a parental cell divides to form two daughter cells. Each daughter cell will receive an equal number of chromosomes.

4. **Conclusion**:
- After cytokinesis, each daughter cell will have the same number of chromosomes as calculated. Therefore, each daughter cell will have 10 chromosomes.

### Final Answer:
Each daughter cell will have **10 chromosomes** following cytokinesis.

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