Question

The fusion of male and female sex cells is known as fertilization.
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

The fertilization occurs in sexual reproduction in which two parents are involved. Fertilization brings the haploid set of chromosomes of both the parents to form a diploid zygote.

Complete step by step answer: Fusion of male and female gametes to form a single-celled zygote is known as fertilization. Fertilization occurs in sexual reproduction or amphimixis whereas, in asexual reproduction or apomixis other methods such as binary fission, budding, sporulation, and fragmentation is carried out.
-Due to fertilization, the genetic material of two different organisms is combined but in asexual reproduction a single parent is involved, as a result, the offspring are not only identical to one another but are also exact copies of their parents.
-Therefore sexual reproduction creates opportunities for variations. Through fertilization, the genetic material of two different species can be combined which may be beneficial to the organism as well as the population.
-Asexual reproduction preserves the genetic information, while sexual reproduction permits variation which further leads to evolution. Sometimes during unfavourable conditions, single-celled organisms reproduce by sexual reproduction rather than asexual.
-The products of asexual reproduction are called clones which are morphologically and genetically similar individuals. There are various methods of asexual reproduction such as budding, binary fission, sporulation, etc. Asexual reproduction in plants is called vegetative propagation.
-Sexual reproduction is an elaborate, complex, and slow process than asexual reproduction. Organisms performing sexual reproduction have to undergo three stages in their life cycle that is the juvenile phase, the reproductive phase, and the senescent phase.
Hence, the correct answer is option A.

Note: In some organisms like rotifers, honey bees, and even some lizards and birds like turkey, the female gamete undergoes development to form new organisms without fertilization. This phenomenon is called parthenogenesis.