In humans, what is the primary function of meiosis?

The primary function of meiosis in humans is to produce haploid gametes, which are essential for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, a diploid germ cell undergoes two rounds of cell division (meiosis I and meiosis II), resulting in four genetically diverse haploid cells. These haploid cells, known as gametes (sperm in males and eggs in females), contain half the number of chromosomes of the original diploid cell.

This reduction in chromosome number is crucial because, during fertilization, the fusion of two haploid gametes restores the diploid state, ensuring the resulting offspring have the correct number of chromosomes. This process also promotes genetic diversity through various mechanisms, including crossing over and independent assortment, contributing to evolution and adaptation in populations.

In contrast, other choices such as growth and repair or producing diploid daughter cells relate to mitosis, which serves different functions in somatic cells. Generating energy for cellular functions pertains to metabolic processes rather than to cellular division and reproduction.