DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Characteristics of plants

They make their own foods and hence called autotrophs.
They are non – motile.
Plants contain photosynthetic pigments called chlorophyll present in the plastids.
These living organisms are made of eukaryotic cell and are multicellular.
They reproduce asexually by vegetative propagation or sexually.
They have different organelles for anchorage, reproduction, support and photosynthesis.
They have a structure formed by root and aerial parts.
They have conductive tissues, i.e., xylem and phloem.
Plants have no definite size and shape.
In suitable environment growth of many plants continue for a longer period.

All species of animals, land plants and most fungi are multicellular whereas a few organisms are partially unicellular such as slime mold and amoebae.
Animals are made up a cell that do not have cell wall.
They typically reproduce sexually. They produce haploid sperm cell (a male sex cell) and haploid ovum (a female sex cell) and unite for fertilization to form diploid zygote. Where as some animals are capable of asexual reproduction.
Animals are heterotrophic, obtaining their energy by consuming energy-releasing food substances.
Animals are capable of motion in some stage of their lives.
Animals are generally motile. They have the capacity to move at will.
Animals possess specialized sensory organs such as eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue.
Animals are eukaryotic where the animals cell contain membrane bound nucleus. The nucleus is the organelle that contain chromosomes that bears gens.
Animals respire aerobically, taking in oxygen(inspiration) and releasing carbon dioxide (expiration).
Animals have definite size and shape.

	Plants	Animals
Size and shape	Plants has to definite size and shape.	Animals have definite size and shape.
Growth	In suitable environment growth of many plants continue for a longer period.	Growth in animals takes place up to a certain stage of life and growth ceases after that.
Nutrition	Plants are autotrophic.	Animals are heterotopic.
Structure of cell	They have dead cell wall.	They do not have cell wall.
Life time	Plants shows the growth throughout the lifetime.	Plants shows the growth throughout the lifetime.
Movement	Plants don’t have any locomotion.	Animals have locomotion and they can move from one place to another.
Reproduction	Plants reproduce by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods.	Reproduction in animals mainly takes place by sexual method but some animals may reproduce by Vegetative and asexual methods.
Nature of foods	Plants cannot take solid food.	Animals can consume solid as well as liquid food.
Chloroplast	Chloroplast is present.	Chloroplast is absent.
Respiration	Plants respire with the help of microscopic spores present in their leaves and steam.	Animals respire with the help of organs like trachea, gills and lungs.