Question

although the outer shell of viruses is made of ____, viruses lack the machinery to produce those shell components. lipid nucleic acid protein carbohydrate

Explanation:

The outer shell of viruses is made of protein. Viruses are non - living entities that lack the cellular machinery to produce their own energy. Proteins form the capsid, which is the outer protective shell of a virus. Lipids can be part of an envelope in some viruses but not the main component of the outer shell. Nucleic acids are inside the virus and carry genetic information. Carbohydrates are not the main constituent of the outer shell.

Answer:

protein