Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
At which stage of mitosis are chromosomes lined up in one plane in preparation for their separation to opposite poles of the cell?
A
Prophase
B
Anaphase
C
Telophase
D
Interphase
E
Metaphase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the stages of mitosis: Mitosis is divided into several stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Each stage has distinct characteristics and roles in cell division.
Identify the key characteristic of metaphase: During metaphase, chromosomes are aligned at the cell's equatorial plane, known as the metaphase plate. This alignment ensures that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes.
Differentiate metaphase from other stages: In prophase, chromosomes condense and become visible, but they are not yet aligned. In anaphase, sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite poles. In telophase, the cell prepares to divide, and the nuclear envelope re-forms around the separated chromosomes.
Recognize that interphase is not part of mitosis: Interphase is the phase where the cell prepares for division by replicating its DNA and organelles, but it is not a stage of mitosis itself.
Conclude that the stage where chromosomes are lined up in one plane is metaphase, as this is the stage where they are prepared for separation to opposite poles.