Which of these correctly distinguishes mitosis from meiosis?
a) mitosis occurs in germ cells and meiosis occurs in somatic cells.
b) crossing over takes place in mitosis and not in meiotic cell division.
c) meiosis produces four 2n daughter cells; mitosis produces two 2n daughter cells.
d) the number of chromosomes remains the same in mitosis and is reduced by half in meiosis.

The correct answer is D) The number of chromosomes remains the same in mitosis and is reduced by half in meiosis.

Explanation-

Mitosis and meiosis are the two forms of cell division. Mitosis occurs in all the living organisms. In mitosis, cell divides into two daughter, each having equal number of chromosomes with that of the parental cell. It is also a process of asexual reproduction.

Whereas, meiosis typically occurs in sexually reproducing organisms during gamete formation. In this process, the number of chromosomes are reduced to half as the homologous chromosomes are separated.

Thus, the number of chromosomes remains the same in mitosis and it is reduced by half in meiosis.

d. organisms have cells with different shapes and functions.