Viruses are often referred to as non-living infectious particles as they lack many characteristics of living organisms like cellular structure. They do not have the ability to carry out reproduction and metabolism without a host cell.
True or False and why?
a
False - viruses are able to reproduce and use energy without a host cell.
b
False - viruses do have a clear cellular structure, including a cell membrane called an envelope.
c
True - if a living organism requires a cellular structure, even if they can reproduce - they are by definition non-living.
d
False - viruses, like bacteria, do not have a cellular structure and yet, bacteria are considered living organisms.
a
False - viruses are not able to reproduce and use energy without a host cell. Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, meaning they require a host cell to replicate and perform metabolic functions.
The statement "Viruses are often referred to as non-living infectious particles as they lack many characteristics of living organisms like cellular structure. They do not have the ability to carry out reproduction and metabolism without a host cell" is mostly True.
Explanation:
a) False - viruses are not able to reproduce and use energy without a host cell. Viruses lack the cellular machinery needed to carry out these processes on their own. They are dependent on host cells to replicate and generate energy.
b) False - viruses do not have a clear cellular structure like organisms with cells, such as bacteria or plants. They lack cell membranes and other typical cellular components.
c) True - if a living organism requires a cellular structure (as in the case of viruses), even if they can reproduce, they are considered non-living entities. Viruses are considered to be on the borderline between living and non-living because they require host cells to carry out key life processes.
d) False - viruses, unlike bacteria, do not have a cellular structure. Bacteria are considered living organisms because they possess all the characteristics of life, including a cellular structure, ability to reproduce, and metabolism. Viruses, on the other hand, lack a cellular structure and cannot carry out their life processes without hijacking a host cell.