Final answer:
b. synthesis
After a virus enters a bacterial cell, the next step in the lytic cycle is the synthesis phase, where it synthesizes components for new viruses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Once entry into the bacterial cell has been achieved, the next step in a lytic replication cycle is b. synthesis. After a virus enters a bacterial cell, it begins the synthesis phase. This involves using the cell's machinery to synthesize virus components, such as nucleic acids and proteins, which are necessary for assembling new viruses. The newly synthesized viral components will then be assembled into new virions during the assembly phase, followed by their release from the host cell during the release phase, enabling them to infect adjacent cells and repeat the replication cycle.