Which statement about viruses is true?

Which statement about viruses is true?

• A. Viruses can reproduce without a host.
• B. Bacteria require a host cell to replicate.
• C. Viruses require a host cell to replicate; bacteria are living cells that can replicate on their own.
• D. Viruses are larger than bacteria.

Answer: (C)

Understanding how viruses and bacteria reproduce highlights why this statement is true. Viruses cannot reproduce on their own because they lack the full cellular machinery needed to synthesize proteins and duplicate their genome. They depend entirely on a host cell’s machinery—ribosomes, enzymes, energy, and membranes—to make viral components and assemble new virus particles. This obligate intracellular lifestyle is what sets viruses apart from living cells. In contrast, bacteria are living cells with their own metabolic systems and can replicate independently through processes like binary fission. While the environment can influence bacterial growth, they do not require a host cell merely to replicate, unlike viruses. For visualization, viruses are much smaller than bacteria, which helps explain why they need a host to propagate. So, the true statement is that viruses require a host cell to replicate, while bacteria are living cells that can replicate on their own.

Understanding how viruses and bacteria reproduce highlights why this statement is true. Viruses cannot reproduce on their own because they lack the full cellular machinery needed to synthesize proteins and duplicate their genome. They depend entirely on a host cell’s machinery—ribosomes, enzymes, energy, and membranes—to make viral components and assemble new virus particles. This obligate intracellular lifestyle is what sets viruses apart from living cells. In contrast, bacteria are living cells with their own metabolic systems and can replicate independently through processes like binary fission. While the environment can influence bacterial growth, they do not require a host cell merely to replicate, unlike viruses. For visualization, viruses are much smaller than bacteria, which helps explain why they need a host to propagate. So, the true statement is that viruses require a host cell to replicate, while bacteria are living cells that can replicate on their own.