Which statement best describes bacteria according to the material?

Which statement best describes bacteria according to the material?

• A. Bacteria are living creatures that reproduce and have a cell wall
• B. Bacteria are inert particles with no metabolism
• C. Bacteria cannot move
• D. Bacteria are viruses

Answer: (A)

Bacteria are living microorganisms that carry out metabolism, grow, and reproduce, and they typically have a protective cell wall. They reproduce by binary fission, which lets populations expand quickly when conditions are favorable. Movement is possible in many bacteria through structures like flagella, though not all species move. This makes the idea that bacteria are living cells with a cell wall the defining feature of the statement. The other descriptions don’t fit because they describe non-living particles with no metabolism, or claim bacteria cannot move, or misidentify bacteria as viruses. Viruses are not bacteria; they’re non-living particles that need a host cell to replicate and lack a true cellular structure and independent metabolism.

Bacteria are living microorganisms that carry out metabolism, grow, and reproduce, and they typically have a protective cell wall. They reproduce by binary fission, which lets populations expand quickly when conditions are favorable. Movement is possible in many bacteria through structures like flagella, though not all species move. This makes the idea that bacteria are living cells with a cell wall the defining feature of the statement.

The other descriptions don’t fit because they describe non-living particles with no metabolism, or claim bacteria cannot move, or misidentify bacteria as viruses. Viruses are not bacteria; they’re non-living particles that need a host cell to replicate and lack a true cellular structure and independent metabolism.