What is binary fission?

Binary fission is a method of asexual reproduction used by single-celled organisms, such as bacteria. In this process, an organism duplicates its genetic material and then divides into two approximately equal parts, each part containing a copy of the original DNA. This allows the organism to reproduce quickly and efficiently, especially in favorable conditions where resources are abundant.

In contrast to sexual reproduction, which involves the combination of genetic material from two parents, binary fission relies solely on the genetic material of a single parent, making it a straightforward and rapid method of reproduction. This is particularly advantageous for single-celled organisms, as it enables them to expand their population quickly without the need for mate finding or fertilization processes.

The other options focus on different forms of reproduction or cellular processes that do not pertain to binary fission specifically. For instance, sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic information from two organisms, which is not applicable here. Cell division in multicellular organisms typically occurs through processes like mitosis or meiosis, which are more complex than the straightforward mechanism of binary fission. Lastly, while cells do grow larger, the principle of binary fission specifically refers to how these organisms reproduce rather than how they increase in size. Therefore, the focus on