The main difference between bacteria and viruses is that bacteria contain nucleic acids and viruses do not.

The main difference between bacteria and viruses is that bacteria contain nucleic acids and viruses do not.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Bacteria do not have ribosomes
• D. Viruses have cell walls

Answer: (B)

The main distinction is that viruses and bacteria differ in cellularity and how they carry out life processes. Bacteria are living cellular organisms with their own machinery: they contain DNA, have ribosomes to make proteins, and can metabolize and reproduce on their own. Viruses, on the other hand, are acellular particles that carry either DNA or RNA inside a protein coat (and sometimes a lipid envelope); they lack ribosomes and all other cellular machinery, so they cannot synthesize proteins or reproduce without infecting a host cell and hijacking its machinery. Because of this, the statement is not correct: both bacteria and viruses contain nucleic acids, but viruses cannot replicate or carry out metabolism independently, while bacteria can. The option claiming bacteria do not have ribosomes is false, since bacteria do have ribosomes. The option claiming viruses have cell walls is also false, since viruses do not have cell walls.

The main distinction is that viruses and bacteria differ in cellularity and how they carry out life processes. Bacteria are living cellular organisms with their own machinery: they contain DNA, have ribosomes to make proteins, and can metabolize and reproduce on their own. Viruses, on the other hand, are acellular particles that carry either DNA or RNA inside a protein coat (and sometimes a lipid envelope); they lack ribosomes and all other cellular machinery, so they cannot synthesize proteins or reproduce without infecting a host cell and hijacking its machinery.

Because of this, the statement is not correct: both bacteria and viruses contain nucleic acids, but viruses cannot replicate or carry out metabolism independently, while bacteria can. The option claiming bacteria do not have ribosomes is false, since bacteria do have ribosomes. The option claiming viruses have cell walls is also false, since viruses do not have cell walls.