Which of the following statements, from the cell theory, best supports the idea that viruses are non-living?
Sticker With A Dead Green Coronavirus Stock Illustration - Illustration of green, cartoon: 176981141
a
All cells are produced from other cells.
b
All viruses are composed of one nucleic acid and protein.
c
All animals are composed of cells.
d
All Living things are composed of cells.
d
All Living things are composed of cells.
The statement that best supports the idea that viruses are non-living is:
b) All viruses are composed of one nucleic acid and protein.
The statement from the cell theory that best supports the idea that viruses are non-living is option d: "All living things are composed of cells."
To understand why this is the case, let's break down the cell theory itself and how it applies to viruses:
1. The cell theory states that all living organisms are composed of cells.
2. Cells are the fundamental units of structure and function in living organisms.
3. All cells arise from pre-existing cells through cell division.
Viruses, on the other hand, do not fit neatly within the definition of a living organism because they lack many of the characteristics typically associated with life. They are much simpler than cells and lack the components necessary to carry out all life processes on their own.
Although viruses do contain genetic material (either DNA or RNA) and are often composed of protein coats, they rely entirely on host cells to replicate and carry out their life cycle. Viruses cannot reproduce or perform metabolic functions independently like cells do, which is why they are considered non-living.
Therefore, statement d from the cell theory supports the idea that viruses are non-living because viruses do not exhibit the defining characteristic of being composed of cells, as stated in that statement.