Which fertilization process occurs outside the female's body?

• A. internal fertilization
• B. pollination
• C. external fertilization
• D. viviparity

Answer: (C)

External fertilization is when the joining of sperm and egg happens outside the female's body. In many aquatic species, the female releases eggs into the water and males release sperm into the same environment, so fertilization occurs in the surrounding medium. The water allows sperm to swim to the eggs, but it also means many offspring are produced with less parental care. This contrasts with internal fertilization, where sperm meet the egg inside the female’s reproductive tract, offering protection to the gametes and developing embryos. Pollination is a plant process that leads to fertilization inside plant tissues after pollen is transferred, not outside the female body, and viviparity refers to live birth occurring with development inside the mother, not fertilization outside.