Compare and contrast the traits of viruses and bacteria. Is a virus considered a living thing? Explain your answer in 3–5 sentences.

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Answer:

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that live in different environments, including cold and hot, and they can also live on or inside the human body.

Most types of bacteria are harmless, on the contrary, they help in the process of digesting food, attacking other microbes and fighting cancer cells, and less than 1% of bacteria are bacteria that cause diseases.

As for viruses, they are very small organisms, smaller than bacteria, consisting of DNA and a protein that coat them, and unlike bacteria, a virus does not reproduce without its presence in the cells of living organisms.

Bacteria are organisms, contain a cell membrane, DNA as genetic material, cell wall and reproduce by binary fission. Moreover, viruses are not living things, have DNA or RNA as genetic material, capsid and reproduce by lytic cycle.

Bacteria are living things because they can grow and reproduce on their own; whereas viruses cannot be considered living things because they cannot live without a host cell.

Bacteria are much bigger than viruses. Bacteria average size is approximately 1000 nanometers (nm), while virus size is approximately 50 nm.

Bacteria have a cell selectively permeable cell membrane that separates the cell from its surrounding environment.

Bacteria have DNA as genetic material, which forms a circular molecule. Bacteria also have a cell wall composed of peptidoglycan.

Viruses may have a protein capsid that encloses the genetic material (either DNA or RNA).

Bacteria commonly reproduce by a type of asexual reproduction known as binary fission by which a parent cell divides into two genetically identical daughter cells. Viruses reproduce by lytic fission by using the molecular machinery of the host cell.

In conclusion, bacteria are organisms, contain a cell membrane, DNA as genetic material, cell wall and reproduce by binary fission. Moreover, viruses are not living things, have DNA or RNA as genetic material, capsid and reproduce by lytic cycle.

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