Question: what term is used to describe a pair of homologous chromosomes

title: Homologous chromosome
text: In the process of crossing - over , genes are exchanged by the breaking and union of homologous portions of the chromosomes ' lengths . Structures called chiasmata are the site of the exchange . Chiasmata physically link the homologous chromosomes once crossing over occurs and throughout the process of chromosomal segregation during meiosis . Both the non-crossover and crossover types of recombination function as processes for repairing DNA damage , particularly double - strand breaks . At the diplotene stage of prophase I the synaptonemal complex disassembles before which will allow the homologous chromosomes to separate , while the sister chromatids stay associated by their centromeres . Metaphase