Advanced Placement (AP) Biology Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the AP Biology Exam with a comprehensive study approach. Explore flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Gear up to excel in your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which term is used to describe an individual with an abnormal number of chromosomes?

Monosomatic
Aneuploid
Polyploid
Hemizygous

The correct answer is: Aneuploid

The term that describes an individual with an abnormal number of chromosomes is "aneuploid." Aneuploidy refers to a condition where the number of chromosomes is not an exact multiple of the haploid number, which can result from the gain or loss of one or more chromosomes. This can lead to conditions such as trisomy, where there are three instances of a particular chromosome, or monosomy, where there is only one instance of a chromosome instead of the usual two. In contrast, monosomatic is not a standard term used in genetics; it seems to be a misrepresentation. Polyploid refers to organisms that have more than two complete sets of chromosomes, which is distinct from having an abnormal number of individual chromosomes. Hemizygous describes a situation where an individual has only one allele for a given trait, often due to the presence of a single X chromosome in males, but it does not pertain to the total number of chromosomes. Thus, "aneuploid" accurately captures the concept of an individual with an abnormal number of chromosomes.