What is an organism made of?

Answer 1

There are several ways of answering this question.

If you examine organisms using a microscope you see that they are made of units called cells. The cells are organised into tissues and tissues are arranged to form organs.

If you analyse an organism chemically you find that it is composed mostly of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen(H), oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N). These elements are combined into organic compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids (fats and oils), proteins, nucleic acids and vitamins.

See:

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_main.HTML for a simple introduction

http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell.htm for a more detailed account

http://www.earthlife.net/cells.HTML for even more detail.

Answer 2

An organism is made up of cells, which are the basic building blocks that carry out all the functions necessary for life. These cells contain molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids that work together to support the organism's structure and function. Additionally, organisms also have tissues, organs, and organ systems that coordinate to maintain life processes.