Question

How does a zygote differ from a gamete?

Answer 1

Zygote is a diploid cell that forms after sexual reproduction when two gamete cells are fuse with each other and gamete is a haploid cell which is known as a single-sex cell i.e., sperm or an egg. The difference is based on genetic material, etymology, chromosome composition, etc.

Complete answer:
1)A gamete is a type of cell that fuses with another cell during sexual reproduction in an organism as females have a large gamete called an egg and males have a small gamete called sperm cells.
2)A zygote is a cell that occurs from the fertilization of an egg and a sperm cell during sexual reproduction.
3)Based on genetic material, Gamete is a haploid cell so it carries half of the chromosomes to form a whole organism, and Zygote is a diploid cell so it carries paired chromosomes to form a complete organism.
4)Based on etymology, the Gamete word is derived from the Greek i.e., ‘gametes’ which means husband and ‘gamete’ which means wife.
5)The word Zygote is also derived from the Greek i.e.,’zygotos’ which means joined or yoke.
6)Based on chromosome composition, the gamete has only one copy from the autosomes i.e. ’X ‘or’ Y’ and the zygote has two copies from the autosomes i.e.,’ XX’ or ‘XY’.
7)Based on location in male’s gamete is located in testis and females it is located in the ovary and zygote is found in the fallopian tube of the female i.e. The reproductive part of the female.

Note: Gamete in males which is sperm is motile and gamete in females which is an oocyte is non-motile and when fused give rise to zygote whereas zygote is a non-motile cell and give rise to a fetus.