Which term describes the complete set of chromosomes in a cell, often visualized for study?

Which term describes the complete set of chromosomes in a cell, often visualized for study?

• A. Genome
• B. Clone
• C. Allele
• D. Karyotype

Answer: (D)

The concept here is naming the complete set of chromosomes as viewed in a lab. A karyotype is a chart or image that shows all the chromosomes in a cell, usually arranged by size and banding patterns to reveal their number and structure. This visual snapshot is used to study chromosomal makeup and detect abnormalities, without needing to read the actual DNA sequence. The genome, by contrast, is the entire genetic material of an organism, including all genes and noncoding regions, not just how the chromosomes look laid out. A clone is a genetically identical copy of an organism or cell, and an allele is a variant form of a gene at a specific location. So the term that best fits is karyotype.

The concept here is naming the complete set of chromosomes as viewed in a lab. A karyotype is a chart or image that shows all the chromosomes in a cell, usually arranged by size and banding patterns to reveal their number and structure. This visual snapshot is used to study chromosomal makeup and detect abnormalities, without needing to read the actual DNA sequence. The genome, by contrast, is the entire genetic material of an organism, including all genes and noncoding regions, not just how the chromosomes look laid out. A clone is a genetically identical copy of an organism or cell, and an allele is a variant form of a gene at a specific location. So the term that best fits is karyotype.