what is the difference between haploid and diploid
The main difference between haploid cells and diploid cells is diploid cells have two complete sets of chromosomes, while haploid cells only have one complete set of chromosomes. Haploid cells have half the amount of chromosomes that diploid cells have.
Best Answer: Diploid just means that the cell contains two sets of DNA (di means two). Most cells in the body are diploid. The diploid number of chromosomes in a human somatic (body) cell is 46. Haploid means that the cell contains one set of DNA, half of a diploid cell. The haploid number of chromosomes in a human body cell is 23. A human haploid body cell denotes a sex cell (i.e. sperm, egg). This doesn't mean that the haploid cell doesn't have all the chromosomes- they do; it's just that a full set of DNA is 23 chromosomes; we get 2 sets total, one from mom and one from dad.
The sets of chromosomes of diploid and haploid cells are expressed in terms of haploid numbers and diploid numbers. A haploid number is the amount of chromosomes inside the nucleus of one chromosomal set. A diploid number concerns the nuclei of two chromosomal sets. The haploid number is abbreviated as the letter n.