What is the process by which a cell duplicates its chromosomes and divides to form two identical cells?

• A. Meiosis
• B. Cytokinesis
• C. Mitosis
• D. Binary fission

Answer: (C)

This item is about how a cell copies its DNA and then splits into two identical daughter cells. The process that does this is mitosis, followed by cytokinesis to finish dividing the cell. First, the cell copies its chromosomes during the preceding S phase, so each chromosome now consists of two identical sister chromatids. During mitosis, those chromatids are pulled apart and distributed into two new nuclei, ensuring each daughter cell gets an identical set of chromosomes. Then cytokinesis divides the cytoplasm, giving you two separate, genetically identical cells.

Meiosis would not fit because it halves the chromosome number and generates genetic diversity, not two identical copies. Cytokinesis alone doesn’t duplicate the chromosomes—it only splits the cell’s cytoplasm after the genetic material has been prepared. Binary fission is how many prokaryotes divide and doesn’t involve organized chromosome separation like mitosis.