Final answer:
Prokaryotes, such as bacteria, reproduce asexually through binary fission, where the single chromosome is replicated and the cell divides, resulting in two identical daughter cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that prokaryotes use to reproduce by replicating the single chromosome and distributing the copies equally to two daughter cells is binary fission. This asexual reproduction method involves the replication of the prokaryote's single, circular chromosome, starting at the origin of replication and proceeding in both directions. Once the chromosome has fully replicated, the cell grows and the cytoplasm divides, resulting in two genetically identical daughter cells. Unlike processes such as mitosis or meiosis in eukaryotic cells, binary fission does not introduce genetic diversity; however, in some cases, bacteria can exchange genetic material through other mechanisms to create variation.