What is the outcome of a diploid gamete fusing with a haploid gamete?

When a diploid gamete fuses with a haploid gamete, the result is a triploid zygote. This occurs because the diploid gamete carries two sets of chromosomes, while the haploid gamete carries one set. Fusing these two gametes means that the zygote will then contain three sets of chromosomes—two from the diploid gamete and one from the haploid gamete—resulting in a triploid zygote.

Understanding the chromosomal contributions of each gamete is essential in this context. The diploid gamete contributes a full set of chromosomes (which is two sets), while the haploid gamete adds an additional set (one). The combination, therefore, gives a total of three sets (2 + 1 = 3), leading to the classification of the zygote as triploid.

In contrast, a diploid individual or haploid zygote does not match the fusion result, nor would a tetraploid cell. A diploid individual would require two diploid gametes for fusion, a haploid zygote would come from two haploid gametes, and a tetraploid cell arises from two diploid gametes fusing. Thus, the