Question

what property of water best helps aquatic life survive in lakes during the winter?
high specific heat capacity
high surface tension
water is less dense as a solid than a liquid
water is polar

which is not a characteristic of a prokaryotic cell?
smaller
no membrane organelles
has a nucleus
always unicellular

a cell is unable to properly replicate its genetic information. this is most likely caused by a deficiency or a mutation in a biomolecule that stores and transmits hereditary information. which biomolecule is responsible for this function?
nucleic acids
lipids

Explanation:

1. Water being less dense as a solid than a liquid means ice floats on water. This creates an insulating layer on the surface of bodies of water in winter, protecting aquatic life beneath. High specific - heat capacity helps regulate temperature but not as directly with winter survival. High surface tension is related to phenomena like water striders walking on water, not winter survival. Water being polar is important for many properties but not the best for winter survival here.
2. Prokaryotic cells are smaller, lack membrane - bound organelles, and are usually unicellular. They do not have a nucleus; their genetic material is in the nucleoid region.
3. Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) store and transmit hereditary information. Lipids are mainly for energy storage, membrane structure, etc., not for genetic information storage and replication.

Answer:

1. water is less dense as a solid than a liquid
2. has a nucleus
3. Nucleic Acids