Final answer:
Stand-alone DNA cannot create cells because it lacks necessary cellular components and machinery such as the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes which are essential for life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to whether stand-alone DNA can create cells is b. No, stand-alone DNA lacks the necessary cellular components for cell creation. While DNA does contain the genetic blueprint necessary for the formation of new cells, it cannot create cells independently without the cellular machinery present within a living cell. This machinery includes the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and other organelles that are essential for life. In prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, even though they lack a well-defined nucleus, the DNA interacts with the cellular content in the cytoplasm to facilitate cellular processes like reproduction. In eukaryotic cells, which have a nucleus, DNA replication and expression are tightly regulated within the nuclear envelope. Without these components and processes, DNA alone does not have the capabilities to build cells from scratch.