Basics of Reproduction : Difference Between Asexual and Sexual Reproduction | How do Organisms Reproduce? | Assessment |

Why is the process of reproduction essential for all living organisms?

• For growth

• For energy requirement

• Continue the species generation after generation

• Keep the individual organism alive

Answer explanation

The process in which the organism produces its offspring is called reproduction. Reproduction is different from other life processes because other life processes such as nutrition, respiration, transportation, excretion, etc. keep the organism alive. While by the process of reproduction, the species of organism is kept alive. Hence reproduction is essential for all living organisms to continue the species generation after generation.

What does the following picture represents?

• The process of asexual reproduction

• The process of sexual reproduction

• Both option 1 and option 2

• None of these

Answer explanation

In the given figure we can see that the one organism give rise to other organisms, hence the figure represents the process of asexual reproduction.

Variations in the offspring will be more in ________.

• Sexual reproduction

• Asexual reproduction

• Both sexual and asexual reproduction

• None of these

Answer explanation

In sexual reproduction, both male and females gametes are involved, due to which more variations are seen in the offspring.

Which of the following organism reproduces by sexual method of reproduction?

• Bacteria

• Amoeba

• Sugarcane

• Fish

Answer explanation

Bacteria, amoeba and sugarcane reproduce by asexual reproduction. While fish reproduces by sexual reproduction.

Which of the following statement is correct with respect to asexual reproduction?

• It involves a single parent

• It is slower than sexual reproduction

• It produces progeny that are very similar with their parents but not with each other

• Both option 1 and option 2

Answer explanation

In the process of asexual reproduction, one organism give rise to other organism. That is it involves a single parent. Hence statement in option 1 is correct. We know that asexual reproduction is faster than sexual reproduction. So statement in option 2 is not correct. The progeny produced by asexual reproduction are very similar with their parent. Since only one parent is involved in asexual reproduction that's why there are very less variations within the progeny. Hence the progeny will also be similar to each other. So statement in option 4 is not correct.

In sexual reproduction, the number of chromosomes in parents and offspring remains constant due to:

• Halving of chromosomes after formation of zygote

• Halving of chromosomes after formation of gametes

• Doubling of chromosomes before formation of gametes

• Halving of chromosomes during formation of gametes

Answer explanation

In the process of sexual reproduction, male and female both participate in reproduction. That's why the amount of DNA that the offspring gets will be twice that of individual DNA. So the amount of DNA goes will on increasing over generations. Because of this, the control over cellular organization might reduce. To solve this problem by the process of meiosis the number of chromosomes that is amount of DNA is halved. So during the formation of gametes the number of chromosomes get halved. Due to this, male gamete and female in female gamete are produced which contain half DNA. During fertilization male gamete combines with the female gamete so as to produce zygote in which the amount of DNA is restored. Hence option 4 is the right answer.

What is the advantage of sexual reproduction over the asexual reproduction?

• It make species to be able to adapt to environmental changes

• Possibility of survival of species during unfavourable conditions is high.

• It passes the genetic information of parent to the offspring

• All of these

Answer explanation

In sexual reproduction, male and female both take part in reproduction. Hence the offspring produced by sexual reproduction is the combination of characters of male and female parent. That means there are more variations in the offspring. Some of these variations give survival advantage to the offspring. Hence it makes species to be able to adapt the environmental changes. Moreover, during unfavourable conditions, say a disease attacks a species, then the chances of survival of the species are more, due to variations. Sexual reproduction passes the genetic information from parent to offspring. Thus, all are correct. So option 4 is the right answer.