Viruses vs. Bacteria Quiz

Which of the following best describes a key structural difference between bacteria and viruses?

• Bacteria have a cell wall and membrane, while viruses lack both.

• Bacteria have a nucleus, while viruses do not.

• Bacteria are made of cells, while viruses are not considered cellular.

• Viruses have ribosomes, while bacteria do not.

Which statement correctly compares the genetic material found in bacteria and viruses?

• Both bacteria and viruses always have DNA as their genetic material.

• Bacteria can have either DNA or RNA, while viruses only have DNA.

• Bacteria have circular DNA, while viruses can have either DNA or RNA.

• Viruses have linear DNA, while bacteria have only RNA.

How do the methods of reproduction differ between bacteria and viruses?

• Both reproduce by binary fission.

• Bacteria reproduce by binary fission, while viruses require a host cell to replicate.

• Viruses reproduce by mitosis, while bacteria use budding.

• Both require a host cell for reproduction.

Which of the following best explains why antibiotics are generally ineffective against viruses?

• Viruses are too small for antibiotics to affect.

• Viruses do not have the cellular structures targeted by antibiotics.

• Viruses mutate more quickly than bacteria.

• Antibiotics only work on genetic material.

Which of the following is a difference in the way the immune system responds to bacterial versus viral infections?

• The immune system only produces antibodies for bacteria.

• The immune system uses the same response for both.

• The immune system may use different types of white blood cells and mechanisms for bacteria and viruses.

• The immune system cannot detect viruses.

A patient is diagnosed with a disease caused by a microorganism. The doctor prescribes antibiotics, but the patient does not improve. Using your knowledge of disease mechanisms, what is the most likely explanation?

• The disease is caused by a virus, which antibiotics cannot treat.

• The disease is caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

• The patient is not taking the antibiotics correctly.

• The disease is caused by a fungus.

Given a scenario where a population of bacteria becomes resistant to an antibiotic, explain how this resistance can spread within the bacterial population.

• Only the resistant bacteria survive and reproduce, passing on the resistance gene.

• All bacteria become resistant at the same time.

• The antibiotic mutates the bacteria to become resistant.

• Resistance cannot spread in a population.

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A scientist is studying two pathogens: one contains only RNA and requires a host cell to reproduce, while the other has a cell wall and reproduces independently. Based on these characteristics, identify each pathogen as a virus or bacterium and justify your reasoning.

• The RNA-only pathogen is a bacterium; the other is a virus.

• The RNA-only pathogen is a virus; the other is a bacterium.

• Both are viruses.

• Both are bacteria.

If a new infectious agent is discovered that can be killed by antibiotics and has a cell membrane, but does not require a host cell to reproduce, what is it most likely to be?

• A virus

• A bacterium

• A prion

• A fungus

Analyze why vaccines are generally more effective in preventing viral diseases than treating them after infection, and compare this to the use of antibiotics for bacterial infections.

• Vaccines stimulate the immune system before infection, while antibiotics kill bacteria after infection.

• Vaccines kill viruses directly, while antibiotics prevent bacterial infections.

• Vaccines and antibiotics both work only after infection.

• Vaccines are only used for bacteria, not viruses.