What is the process called when gametes fuse together?

The process when gametes fuse together is known as fertilization. This is a crucial step in sexual reproduction, where male and female gametes (sperm and egg) join to form a zygote. This union restores the diploid chromosome number and initiates the development of a new organism. Fertilization enables genetic diversity through the combination of genetic material from two parent organisms.

Pollination specifically refers to the transfer of pollen from the male anthers to the female stigma in flowering plants, which is a precursor to fertilization in plants but does not encompass the fusion of gametes itself. Reproduction is a broader term that includes all processes involved in producing offspring but does not specifically refer to the fusion of gametes. Division typically pertains to cellular processes such as mitosis or meiosis, which involve the splitting or dividing of cells, rather than the fusion of gametes. Thus, fertilization accurately describes the process of gametes coming together to form a new organism.