Before You Begin
Question #46894
The Question
According to NCERT, Whittaker's Five-Kingdom classification does not mention lichens and acellular entities like viruses. Which of the following statements INCORRECTLY explains or compares their biological and taxonomic status?
Options
- A.
Viruses are excluded from the classification system because they lack cellular organization, which is a core defining property of living organisms.
- B.
Outside their specific host cells, viruses exist as inert crystalline structures, demonstrating a complete absence of intrinsic metabolic machinery.
- C.
Both viruses and lichens are excluded from the Five-Kingdom system because they share a fundamental lack of independent cellular organization and intrinsic metabolism.
- D.
While a lichen is not classified as a single taxonomic entity, its constituent algal and fungal partners possess eukaryotic cellular structures and belong to recognized kingdoms.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Defining Properties Criteria|Lichen Symbiotic Logic|Retroviruses
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize the NCERT line 'there is no mention of lichens and some acellular organisms like viruses' without distinguishing the fundamentally different reasons for their exclusion.
The trap relies on Functional Overlap, tricking students into assuming that because both are excluded in the same paragraph, they must share the same acellular, non-metabolic nature.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | The Living World - Class 11 |
| Concept | Defining Properties Criteria |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |