Capsid

Real World Example

Imagine you're trying to protect your lunch from getting squished while carrying it in a crowded backpack. Just like how you might use a sturdy lunchbox to shield your sandwich from external pressures and bumps, a virus uses a capsid to protect its genetic material. In this analogy, the lunch represents the virus's genetic material, the lunchbox is the capsid, and the crowded backpack is the environment outside the virus; the capsid ensures the delicate contents inside remain safe and intact, just like your lunchbox keeps your sandwich from being flattened.