A bacterium divides into two bacteria that are identical to, but smaller than, the original bacterium. Which characteristic of life does this best describe?

Reproduction

Explanation:

Reproduction is one of the characteristics of life and refers to the process of production of own kinds by organisms to maintain the continuity of their species.

A bacterium divides into two daughter bacterial cells each of them carries the identical genetic material as that of the parent bacterium. It represents the process of reproduction in the bacterium.

The bacterial daughter cells will grow in size and undergo the process of reproduction to maintain the continuity of their own kind.