Are gametes haploid or diploid?

• A. Haploid
• B. Diploid
• C. Polyploid
• D. Diploid and haploid depending on organism

Answer: (A)

Gametes are haploid, meaning they contain a single complete set of chromosomes. This design lets two gametes fuse during fertilization to form a zygote with the organism’s normal diploid chromosome number. In humans, for example, somatic cells are diploid (46 chromosomes), while gametes carry 23. Meiosis reduces the chromosome number to haploid so fertilization restores the diploid state. There are occasional exceptions in certain species where unusual meiosis or life cycles produce diploid (or higher) gametes, but the standard concept is that gametes are haploid.