What is the difference between a virus and a bacterium in terms of reproduction?

The distinction between a virus and a bacterium in terms of reproduction is primarily centered around the dependency of viruses on host cells. Viruses cannot replicate on their own; instead, they must infect a host cell to reproduce. Once inside the host, they hijack the cellular machinery to manufacture copies of themselves, a process that involves the host's cellular components.

In contrast, bacteria are unicellular organisms that can reproduce independently through a process called binary fission, where one bacterial cell divides into two. This characteristic allows bacteria to thrive in various environments without the need for another organism.

Understanding this difference is essential, as it highlights the fundamental biological distinction between living organisms (like bacteria) that can carry out life processes autonomously and viruses, which blur the line between living and non-living entities due to their reliance on host cells for reproduction.