Norway rats have 42 chromosomes in their diploid cells. If such a cell enters meiosis, how many chromosomes and double-helical molecules of DNA will be present in each daughter cell at the end of meiosis II? a. 21 chromosomes and 21 double-helical DNA molecules b. 21 chromosomes and 42 double-helical DNA molecules c. 42 chromosomes and 42 double-helical DNA molecules d. 42 chromosomes and 84 double-helical DNA molecules

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the problem. The question is asking how many chromosomes and double-helical DNA molecules will be present in each daughter cell at the end of meiosis II, given that Norway rats have 42 chromosomes in their diploid cells.
2. Step 2: Recall that meiosis is a type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell. This is a process of sexual reproduction in eukaryotes.
3. Step 3: Since Norway rats have 42 chromosomes in their diploid cells, at the end of meiosis II, each daughter cell will have half of this number, which is 21 chromosomes.
4. Step 4: Recall that during meiosis, each chromosome is replicated once, and the cell is divided twice. Therefore, each chromosome consists of two identical sister chromatids, which are separated during meiosis II. So, each of the 21 chromosomes will have one double-helical DNA molecule.
5. Step 5: Therefore, the correct answer is a. 21 chromosomes and 21 double-helical DNA molecules.