Question

These are all part of one question so it can be answered in paragraph format:

1. How is a theory different from a hypothesis?

2. How is a virus different from a bacterium?

3. Do viruses evolve?

4. List various factors that affect the current spread of COVID-19 in the biosphere.

5. How is correlation different from causation - particularly as it relates to the webquest below:

Recently reports have come out in the media and from scientists that people who have been vaccinated against with the MMR vaccine (particularly against measles) have a lower risk of developing SARS-CoV-2 (or least with a less serious infection).

GO DO A WEB QUEST OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET AND RESEARCH THIS A BIT. BE PREPARED TO ARGUE WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK THIS IS CORRELATION OR CAUSATION

Answer 1

1. Hypothesis = An educated guess
It can be correct or incorrect.
It has to be verified by experiments.

The theory is a principle proposed to explain a given phenomenon.
It is already supported by experimental data.

2. Viruses are acellular organisms. They do not exhibit metabolism outside the host cell. They are obligate parasites. They can contain DNA or RNA as their genomes.
Bacteria are larger than viruses. They exhibit cellular organization and metabolism. They can be autotrophic or heterotrophic. They contain double-stranded DNA as their genome (Nucleoid).

3. Viruses can exhibit evolution. Their genomes mutate rapidly and exhibit greater rates of evolution as compared to cellular organisms. This is due to the fact that they do not possess any repair mechanisms.

4. Factors that affect disease transmission:
a. Infectious agent
b. Reservoir
c. Routes of entry and exit
d. Mode of transmission
e. Susceptible hosts

5. A correlation between two variables does not mean that a change in one variable is the causative agent of change in another variable.
Casuation indicate that a change in one variable is responsible for the change in anothe rvariable.