What is the process by which a single cell divides into two identical cells called?

The process by which a single cell divides into two identical cells is known as mitosis. Mitosis is a type of cell division that produces two daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the original cell, ensuring genetic consistency. It typically involves several stages, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, which together facilitate the replication of genetic material and its equitable distribution into the newly formed cells.

While meiosis, which produces gametes (sperm and egg cells), is a different form of cell division that leads to genetic variation, binary fission is more relevant to unicellular organisms like bacteria and is a simpler division process. Cloning refers to the process of producing a genetically identical copy of an organism or cell, which may involve several different techniques but does not specifically describe the basic division of a single cell into two. Thus, mitosis is the correct term for this process of cellular replication in eukaryotic organisms.