UNIT OVERVIEW

Why do children from the same parents look different from each other? Why are you not an exact copy of your mother or father?

The answer is a special type of cell division called meiosis. This process makes sex cells (eggs and sperm) that are all genetically different from each other.

In this unit, you will learn how meiosis:

• Cuts the chromosome number in half
• Creates genetic variation (differences between individuals)
• Makes sexual reproduction possible