Meiosis Card GameIntroduction:During meiosis, the mother forms an egg with half of her diploid (2N) set of chromosomes,and the father forms sperm with half of his diploid (2N) set of chromosomes. Upon fertilization, anorganism receives one half (haploid or N) of its chromosomes from the maternal parent, and one halffrom the paternal parent. Therefore, each organism receives one set (N) of homologous chromosomesfrom each parent, thus restoring the diploid (2N) number of chromosomes in the zygote.Background:In this lab, we are going to use playing cards to demonstrate the sorting of thechromosomes prior to and after fertilization. We are going to see what happens to individualchromosomes during meiosis, gamete-formation, and subsequent fertilization. Although gameteformation involves two sequential cell divisions, we are only simulating the first division to illustratechromosome reduction. The second division is "understood" because we are dealing with sperm andegg.Procedure:Divide a deck of cards by suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, Clubs) and then arrange each suitfrom high to low (count the Ace as higher than the King). The two red suits (Hearts and Diamonds)represent the chromosomes of the mother, whereas the two black suits (Spades and Clubs) representthe chromosomes of the father. Two cards of the same color and same face value (e.g. three of
