Which term describes the female sex cell?

• A. Egg
• B. Sperm
• C. Zygote
• D. Embryo

Answer: (A)

Sex cells, or gametes, carry half the genetic material. The female gamete is the egg cell (often called the ovum). Eggs form in the ovaries and are released during ovulation; they’re relatively large and nutrient-rich to support the early embryo before implantation. When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the two haploid sets combine to form a diploid zygote, the first cell of a new organism. The term describing the female sex cell is egg. Sperm is the male gamete; a zygote is the fertilized cell, and an embryo is the developing organism after the zygote begins to divide.