Which statement about prokaryotes is true?

Which statement about prokaryotes is true?

• A. They lack a nuclear membrane.
• B. They are relatively small.
• C. They have autonomous organelles.
• D. They have a membrane-bound nucleus.

Answer: (B)

Prokaryotes are characteristically small and simple in their organization. This small size is a consistent feature across bacteria and archaea and helps distinguish them from eukaryotic cells, which are typically much larger and more complex. In terms of internal structure, prokaryotes lack membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria or chloroplasts, and they do not have a true nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane; their genetic material sits in a nucleoid region rather than a defined nucleus.

The reason the statement about being relatively small is the best fit is that size is a universal, defining trait shared by nearly all prokaryotes, regardless of species. The other descriptions either describe features they do not have (membrane-bound nucleus and autonomous organelles) or describe something true but not as characteristic or universally distinguishing as their small size.