HELP sience paper qustion!!!!!?

Question

If human cells have 46 chromosomes and a zygote is produced when a sperm cell and an egg cell are joined, how is it possible that the new individual still has 46 chromosomes in his or her body?

Answer 1

The sperm and the egg are produced through MEIOSIS. (pronounced: my OH sis.) This process produces HAPLOID cells, that is, cells with HALF the number of chromosomes as SOMATIC cells, that is cells of the body. A sperm has 23 chromosomes and an egg has 23 chrmosomes.  When the sperm unites with the egg, each HAPLOID cell combines to produce the full 46 chromosome individual.

Don't confuse MEIOSIS, described above, with MITOSIS. This latter is a form of cell division in which each new cell has the full complement of chromosomes, which is 46 in humans. MITOSIS is occuring all the time in the body as new cells are created to replace old.