Question

which statement best describes a characteristic of eukaryotic cells? their dna floats freely in the cytoplasm. they do not have a cell membrane. they have a nucleus that contains the cells dna. they lack membrane - bound organelles.

Explanation:

• For the option "Their DNA floats freely in the cytoplasm": This is a characteristic of prokaryotic cells (like bacteria), where DNA is in the nucleoid region without a nuclear membrane. Eukaryotic cells have DNA in a nucleus, so this is incorrect.
• For the option "They do not have a cell membrane": All cells (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) have a cell membrane (or plasma membrane) that regulates what enters and exits the cell. So this is incorrect.
• For the option "They have a nucleus that contains the cell’s DNA": Eukaryotic cells are defined by having a true nucleus, which is a membrane - bound organelle that houses the cell's genetic material (DNA). This is a key characteristic of eukaryotic cells (e.g., animal, plant, fungal cells).
• For the option "They lack membrane - bound organelles": Prokaryotic cells lack membrane - bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have many (like mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, etc.). So this is incorrect.

Answer:

They have a nucleus that contains the cell’s DNA.