Without external forces, the third generation of a bacterium and the original parent cell will have approximately ________ matching DNA sequences.(1 point) Responses 25% 33% 12.5% 100%

100%

Without external forces, the third generation of a bacterium and the original parent cell will have approximately 100% matching DNA sequences.

To determine the percentage of matching DNA sequences between the third generation of a bacterium and the original parent cell, we need to understand how DNA is inherited and passed down through generations.

In bacteria, DNA is replicated and passed from generation to generation through a process called binary fission. During binary fission, the DNA in the parent cell is duplicated, and each daughter cell receives a copy of the replicated DNA.

In any DNA replication process, there is a small chance of errors occurring, leading to changes in the DNA sequence. These mutations can accumulate over successive generations, resulting in genetic variation.

However, without any external forces such as mutations or genetic recombination, the DNA sequence of each new generation would remain identical to the previous one.

Therefore, if there are no mutations or genetic recombination events, the third generation of the bacterium would have 100% matching DNA sequences with the original parent cell.