Which phase was the least represented (fewest number of cells) in the Mitosis activity?
A. Interphase
B. Metaphase
C. Telophase
D. Anaphase
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A. Interphase.
Interphase is the phase where the cell spends the majority of its life cycle. It is the phase between two mitotic divisions, and it consists of three subphases: G1 (cell growth), S (DNA synthesis), and G2 (preparation for mitosis). While interphase is crucial for cell growth and DNA replication, it is not technically a phase of mitosis. It precedes the actual mitotic division and is, therefore, the phase least represented in a mitosis activity.
In contrast, the other phases of mitosis—metaphase, anaphase, and telophase—are actual stages of the cell’s division process. During mitosis, the cell undergoes visible changes, such as chromosome alignment (metaphase), chromosome separation (anaphase), and the formation of two daughter nuclei (telophase). These phases involve the rearrangement of structures within the cell, making them more apparent under a microscope.
Interphase, being a preparatory phase, does not show dramatic visual changes in terms of chromosome movement or alignment. It is a more extended, less dynamic stage compared to the highly active mitotic stages. Therefore, in a typical mitosis activity or experiment, there are fewer cells in interphase than in the other mitotic phases.
Mitosis is often focused on observing the process of cell division itself, with most cells in the active phases of mitosis rather than in the resting or preparatory phase of interphase. This explains why interphase is the least represented phase in such activities.