What is Binary fission?

• A. A form of sexual reproduction requiring two parents
• B. A process by which organisms exchange genetic material
• C. A form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms by which one cell divides into two cells of the same size (usually in prokaryotes)
• D. A type of reproduction that produces spores

Answer: (C)

Binary fission is the asexual form of reproduction used by many single-celled organisms, especially bacteria. A cell copies its DNA and then grows and divides, producing two daughter cells that are essentially the same size as the parent. This division happens in the cytoplasm without a nucleus, with the cell’s envelope pinching in to form a septum that splits the cell into two. Because there’s no mating or fusion of gametes, the offspring are genetically identical to the parent (aside from rare mutations), so there’s no exchange of genetic material like in sexual reproduction. It’s not about spores, which are a different strategy some organisms use to survive or spread.