Question

What is the difference between an organ and an organelle?

Answer 1

Hint: Organ and organelle are two different structural units of an organism. Organs are specialized to perform their specific functions that can be evident from actions. On the other hand, the organelles perform their specific functions that assist the working of organs. Organs are large functional units as compared to organelles.

Complete answer: Difference between an organ and an organelle:

Organ	Organelle
1. The organ is a structural part of the body that performs a specific function.	1. The organelle is a functional unit of a cell and performs metabolic functions for the cell.
2. Various organs collectively make up the organ system.	2. Various organelles collectively make up a cell.
3. Organs perform various life processes like the beating of the heart, breathing by lungs, etc.	3. Organelles perform important cellular functions like the production of proteins, translation, transcription, etc.
4. The functions of the organs are evident externally. For example, the beating of the heart can be heard and felt.	4. The functions of organelles are enclosed inside the cell. These are not evident externally but their effect is seen on organs functioning.
5. Organs are macroscopic structures.	6. Organelles are microscopic structures.
7. Organs are usually covered by tissue linings that protect them or they are enclosed in bone cages.	7. Organelles are usually membrane-bound units. These are enclosed in thin membranes inside the cell.
8. Organs are dependent on the functioning of the organelles.	8. The working of organelles is dependent on the nutritional intake of the organism.
9. Examples of organs are Heart, Kidney, Lungs, Brain, etc. in animals, and Leaves, Stems, Flowers, etc. are parts of the plant.	9. Examples of organelles are the Golgi apparatus, Nucleus, Endoplasmic reticulum, Mitochondria, etc.

Note: The organelles are the functional and basic units that make up the cell. The cells further unite to form tissues. Different tissues come together and make up the organs. These organs work collectively to form an organ system. The organ systems, at last, make up the organism. Each of the units has a specific role or part to play. Any dysfunction in any structural unit can cause disease or damage to the organism.