Here's why:
* Human somatic cells (body cells) have 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. This is known as the diploid state (2n).
* Gametes are sex cells (sperm and egg cells). They are produced through a process called meiosis, which reduces the number of chromosomes by half. This results in haploid cells (n) with only 23 chromosomes.
* When a sperm and egg cell fuse during fertilization, they create a zygote with 46 chromosomes (23 from each parent).
Therefore, gametes are the only cells in humans that contain half the amount of chromosomes and DNA compared to somatic cells.
