AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -On a biological level, the main difference is that bacteria are free-living cells that can live inside or outside a body, while viruses are a non-living collection of molecules that need a host to survive.

Detailed explanation-2: -Key facts. Bacteria are single cells that can survive on their own, inside or outside the body. Viruses cause infections by entering and multiplying inside the host’s healthy cells. It can be difficult to know what causes an infection, because viral and bacterial infections can cause similar symptoms.

Detailed explanation-3: -Viruses are tinier: the largest of them are smaller than the smallest bacteria. All they have is a protein coat and a core of genetic material, either RNA or DNA. Unlike bacteria, viruses can’t survive without a host. They can only reproduce by attaching themselves to cells.

Detailed explanation-4: -Overall, viral infections can be a little less severe than bacterial infections, meaning your fever might be lower with a viral infection than a bacterial infection. But this doesn’t mean a viral infection can’t lead to severe disease-as we well know with COVID-19.