EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -A virus is an infectious particle that reproduces by “commandeering” a host cell and using its machinery to make more viruses. A virus is made up of a DNA or RNA genome inside a protein shell called a capsid.

Detailed explanation-2: -Unlike cells, viruses do not have the tools to make a copy of their DNA. But they have found other ways to make new viruses. This is done by inserting virus genetic material into a host cell. This causes the cell to make a copy of the virus DNA, making more viruses.

Detailed explanation-3: -A virus is a tiny, nonliving particle that enters and then reproduces inside a living cell. Biologists consider viruses to be nonliving because viruses are not cells. Viruses do not use energy to grow or to respond to their surroundings.

Detailed explanation-4: -Viruses cannot replicate on their own, but rather depend on their host cell’s protein synthesis pathways to reproduce. This typically occurs by the virus inserting its genetic material in host cells, co-opting the proteins to create viral replicates, until the cell bursts from the high volume of new viral particles.

Detailed explanation-5: -Viruses are considered as something between living and non-living because they do not grow or reproduce by themselves. This makes them non-living. However, when a virus enters a living cell of an organism, it obtains energy from the host cell and starts reproducing.