Final answer:
Viruses cannot metabolize, maintain homeostasis, or reproduce on their own, and thus are not considered living organisms. They require a host cell to replicate and are considered parasitic particles, lacking the cellular components and processes that define life.
Step-by-step explanation:
True: Viruses are not capable of taking in and metabolizing nutrients and carrying out most other life's activities. This statement is factually correct. Viruses are acellular entities, meaning they lack critical components such as a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes that are found in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Without these structures, viruses cannot perform essential life processes such as metabolism or maintain homeostasis on their own.
Viruses also cannot reproduce independently; they require a host cell to replicate their DNA or RNA. While they do have nucleic acids and are capable of evolving, this is largely due to their ability to insert their genetic material into a host cell, commandeering the host's resources to produce new virions—the term for individual virus particles. This unique reproductive strategy has sparked debate on whether viruses should be considered living or nonliving. Nonetheless, the consensus in the scientific community is that since viruses do not meet the basic criteria that define living organisms—such as growth, metabolism, and independent replication—they are not considered alive.
It's important to note that viruses do infect all forms of life, including bacterial, archaeal, fungal, plant, and animal cells. But without a host, viruses remain inert. Their classification remains distinct from other life forms; they are not placed in any domain or kingdom and are regarded as parasitic particles.