Viruses

Learn key virus facts: nonliving nature, reproduction, and how vaccines protect us!

Fill in the blanks to make the statements correct. 1. Viruses are considered nonlivingbecause they can not perform the characteristics of life without a host2. Viruses are made of only 2 organic compounds, genetic materialand a capsidmade of protein.3. A virus infects a cell by injecting DNA orRNAinto a cell.4. The cold, the flu and HIV are caused by a virus.5. Antibiotics are typically used to fight bacterial infections. The word antibiotic literally means againstlife. Because viruses are considered nonliving,antibiotics don’t work against viruses.6. Vaccines are used to help organisms make antibodiesto build immunity. Vaccines are made from destroyed or weakened forms of a virus. Label the different parts of a virus. A. Capsid B. Tail Sheath C. DNA D. Tail Fiber Match the statements to the appropriate column. Viruses Not living No Cells Must invade a host to reproduce Cannot use antibiotics for treatment Bacteria Living Unicellular (Prokaryotes) Uses Binary Fission to reproduce Can use antibiotics for treatment Make a list of all the diseases you can think of caused by viruses. Why do scientists classify viruses as non-living? Justify your answer. Why are vaccines important? Why do they work best if everyone in a population gets them? Name one disease that is preventable by vaccination.