What type of mutation involves a loss of a segment of a chromosome?

A mutation that involves a loss of a segment of a chromosome is known as a deletion. In this type of mutation, one or more nucleotide pairs are removed from the DNA sequence, which can result in the loss of essential genetic information. This loss can lead to various effects on the organism, depending on the genes that were deleted and their functions.

In contrast, duplication involves the repetition of a segment of the chromosome, which increases the amount of genetic material rather than removing it. Inversion refers to a segment being reversed within the chromosome, while translocation occurs when a segment of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome, neither of which results in a loss of genetic material. Therefore, based on the definition of these specific chromosomal mutations, deletion accurately describes the loss of a segment of a chromosome.