Question

what term is used to describe the plasma membrane and all layers external to it?

capsule
outer membrane
cell wall
cell envelope
flagella

Explanation:

• A capsule is only one external layer, not including the plasma membrane.
• The outer membrane is just a single layer external to some cells, not the full set including the plasma membrane.
• A cell wall is an external layer but does not encompass the plasma membrane itself.
• Flagella are appendages for movement, not a structure describing the plasma membrane and external layers.
• The cell envelope is defined as the plasma membrane plus all layers that lie outside of it, matching the question's description.

Answer:

Cell envelope