Question

Some antibiotics destroy disease-causing bacteria by entering the bacterial cells and interfering with the critical life processes that keep them alive. However, antibiotics are not able to destroy viral infections because viruses are not cells, so they do not perform the processes that antibiotics normally disrupt.

a. the wall surrounding a virus cannot be penetrated by antibiotic chemicals.
b. viruses are constantly moving, so antibiotics cannot reach them.
c. antibiotics are destroyed by the protein coating that surrounds the viral DNA.

Answer 1

Antibiotics target specific parts of bacterial cells, such as the cell wall, protein synthesis, and DNA replication, to kill them. However, they do not work against viral infections because viruses do not have the same structures targeted by antibiotics.

Step-by-step explanation:

Antibiotics target specific parts of bacterial cells to kill them. The most common targets are:

1. Cell Wall: Some antibiotics interfere with the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, causing it to weaken and rupture.
2. Protein Synthesis: Other antibiotics inhibit the ribosomes in bacterial cells, which are responsible for protein synthesis. This disrupts the bacterial cell's ability to function.
3. DNA Replication: Certain antibiotics can interfere with the replication of bacterial DNA, preventing the bacteria from reproducing.

However, antibiotics do not work against viral infections because viruses are not cells and do not have the same structures targeted by antibiotics.