Concept:The fundamental living substance of a cell is protoplasm, which is formed by the combination of cytoplasm and nucleus.
Explanation:A cell is considered the basic unit of life because it contains living material called protoplasm.
Protoplasm consists of two main parts: the cytoplasm and the nucleus.
The cytoplasm is the jelly-like fluid where cellular activities take place.
The nucleus controls the cell and contains genetic material.
Structures such as the cell wall and vacuole are not essential living components of every basic cell.
The cell wall is a non-living outer covering, mainly found in plant cells.
Vacuoles are storage spaces and are not present in all cells.
Therefore, the essential living parts that represent the cell as the basic unit of life are the cytoplasm and the nucleus.
Answer:C. cytoplasm and nucleus