Which term means the basic units of living matter?

• A. Cells
• B. Protoplasm
• C. Nucleus
• D. Cytoplasm

Answer: (A)

Atoms aside, the fundamental idea here is that life is built from the smallest self-contained units that can carry out life processes. Those units are cells. A cell is the basic unit of living matter because it can perform essential life functions—metabolism, growth, and reproduction—and many cells together form tissues and organs to build the whole organism.

Protoplasm refers to the living content inside a cell, including cytoplasm and nucleus, not the unit itself. The nucleus is the cell’s control center that houses genetic material, while the cytoplasm is the jelly-like substance where many activities occur. So the term that means the basic units of living matter is cells.