Final answer:
The term "Prokaryote" refers to organisms without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, including bacterial and archaean cells. Eukaryotic cells like those of animals and plants are not prokaryotes because they have a nucleus and organelles. Prokaryotic cells are simpler and found in single-celled organisms like bacteria and archaea. The correct answer to the question is c).
Step-by-step explanation:
When the term "Prokaryote" is mentioned, it refers to cells that do not have a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles. The correct answer to the question is c) Prokaryote. Neither eukaryote animal cells (a) nor eukaryote plant cells (b) are prokaryotes; both of these are classified as eukaryotic cells. The categories of prokaryotic cells include bacterial prokaryotic cells and archaean prokaryotic cells, which can be found in options b, c, and d of the reference question, indicating that both bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic life forms.
To further clarify, prokaryotic cells are simple, single-celled organisms, whereas eukaryotic cells are found in more complex organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Unlike eukaryotes, prokaryotes do not contain a nucleus and instead have their DNA freely floating within the cell. This fundamental difference is used by biologists to classify life forms into these two broad categories.