Eukaryotes & Prokaryotes Compare and Contrast
You may not see them, but there are millions of cells and microorganisms all around us! Cells are the smallest units of life. They are the basis for all life on earth. Every living thing on Earth contains cells. Cells show all six characteristics of life: growth, regulation of systems, response to the environment, reproduction, a complex system of parts, and energy transfer. Every cell has their own job or function. Some living organisms can have just one cell, while others can have many cells. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the two major types of cells, have some similarities between them, but they also have differences as well. Starting with the similarities, first of all, both prokaryotes
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You can find cells almost everywhere in the world. Depending on their purpose, cells live in different environments. Since protists have been around for longer than eukaryotes, they can adapt to more extreme temperatures. In addition, prokaryotes and eukaryotes have different ways of storing their DNA. Eukaryotes’ DNA is stored inside the nucleus. Prokaryotes’ DNA floats freely in the cytoplasm. Prokaryotes don’t have a nucleus, but eukaryotes do. Habitats and DNA differ between prokaryotic and eukaryotic …show more content…
Prokaryotes are simpler than eukaryotes. They have no nucleus or large organelles. Also, they are typically smaller than eukaryotes. As opposed to prokaryotes, eukaryotes are more complex. Unlike prokaryotes, they store their DNA in a nucleus. Eukaryotes are larger, so they can have larger organelles and a nucleus. Prokaryotes are simpler, as eukaryotes are more complex. Last of all, prokaryotes and eukaryotes may be different in what kingdoms they belong to. Prokaryotes only belong to certain kingdoms. Some kingdoms may contain mostly prokaryotes, mostly eukaryotes, or a mixture of both. For example, the Eubacteria and Archaebacteria kingdoms are prokaryotic. Eukaryotes also belong to several kingdoms. Eukaryotes can be multicellular. For this reason, the Animal, Plant, Fungi, and Protista kingdoms are eukaryotic. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes differ in which kingdoms they belong to. In summary, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells do share some things in common. For example, they both contain DNA, cytoplasm, and a membrane. Both cell types have differences as well. As an example of this, prokaryotes are simpler. On the other hand, eukaryotes are more complex. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes have several similarities, but also have a number of differences