Which organelle breaks down waste materials?

• A. Ribosome
• B. Chloroplast
• C. Nuclear Membrane
• D. Lysosome

Answer: (D)

Cells manage waste through a specialized digestion-and-recycling organelle. The lysosome houses digestive enzymes that break down waste materials, including damaged organelles, macromolecules, and invaders. Its acidic interior and membrane barrier keep these enzymes contained, so the cell can reuse the resulting small molecules for energy and building new components. In contrast, ribosomes are the protein factories that synthesize new proteins; chloroplasts in plant cells capture light energy to make sugars; and the nuclear membrane surrounds the nucleus and regulates traffic in and out. So the organelle that breaks down waste materials is lysosomes.