Question

How does a diploid organism differ from a haploid organism?

Answer 1

The term “Ploidy” usually tells the number of sets of the chromosomes which is to be found within the nucleus. And the 2 most prominent ones are the Haploid and the Diploid, with the haploid- containing one set of the chromosomes & Diploid- containing 2 sets of the chromosomes, one from each parent.

Complete answer:
The most obvious difference b/w the Haploid and Diploid is the no of chromosome sets which is found in the nucleus. Haploid cells are the ones which have only a single set of the chromosomes while diploid cells have 2 sets of chromosomes.

-Haploid cells: Haploid cells usually contain only 1 set of chromosomes. Gametes or sex cells is the most common type of the haploid cells. These cells are formed after the meiotic cell division. They are normally produced by the meiosis & are genetically diverse. When the haploid cells from the male and the female fuse together during the fertilisation process, it then forms a diploid cell. Some haploid organisms normally include male ants, bees, and wasps.

-Diploid Cells: These cells usually have 2 sets of chromosomes. It is normally formed by the fusion of the two haploid cells. These cells are then formed after mitotic cell division. Most mammals normally have diploid, i.e., they have 2 homologous copies of each chromosome present in the cells. They are produced by the process of mitosis. The somatic cells in the humans are diploid cells. Some diploid organisms include the humans, frogs, fishes, and most plants.

Note: Diploid refers to the no of complete chromosome sets which is present in each cell of an organism: diploid cells contain two complete sets. Haploid organisms, on the other hand, only have one complete chromosome set. Chromosome sets can then be altered in meiosis, and occasionally in mitosis.