Final answer:
Viruses are not considered cells as they lack essential components like a plasma membrane and ribosomes, cannot maintain homeostasis, perform metabolism, or reproduce on their own, relying instead on a host cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
False, viruses are not considered cells because while they possess genetic material, they lack other essential cellular components like a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes. These are the basic structures that are shared by all cells. Without these elements, viruses cannot be classified as cells as they do not maintain homeostasis, have their own metabolism, or replicate independently. Viruses must infect a host cell and use that cell's machinery to reproduce.
Virions, the individual virus particles, are much smaller than the simplest prokaryotic cell. Although they carry genetic material and can evolve over time, their requirement to rely on a host cell for replication places them outside the realm of living organisms in the way we typically define life.