Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of meiosis?

Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms, specifically to produce gametes (sperm and eggs). A key characteristic of meiosis is that it consists of two rounds of division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II, which ultimately leads to the production of haploid cells—cells that have half the number of chromosomes compared to the original diploid cell.

During the process, homologous chromosomes undergo crossing over, where they exchange genetic material, contributing to genetic diversity in the resulting gametes. Each of these characteristics is essential for the correct function and purpose of meiosis.

The statement that meiosis results in diploid cells is not accurate. Meiosis starts with a diploid cell, but the final products after division are haploid cells, each containing one set of chromosomes. Therefore, the characteristic of producing diploid cells is not associated with meiosis, making it the correct answer to this question.