Protists and prokaryotes are two distinct groups of organisms that differ in their cellular structure and complexity.
Firstly, protists are eukaryotic organisms, which means their cells have a nucleus enclosed within a membrane, along with other membrane-bound organelles. This complex structure allows for various cellular processes and functions to occur more efficiently. Examples of protists include amoebas, algae, and paramecia.
In contrast, prokaryotes are unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus. Their genetic material is not enclosed within a membrane and is usually found in a single circular chromosome. Prokaryotes also do not have organelles like mitochondria or chloroplasts. The most common examples of prokaryotes are bacteria and archaea.
In summary, the main differences lie in cellular structure: protists are eukaryotic and more complex, while prokaryotes are simpler, unicellular organisms without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.