Levels of organization of Matter-Metazoa

The smallest structural units of all matter are subatomic particles, mainly electrons, protons and neutrons. The next larger units are atoms and many atoms get together to form combinations called compounds which are variously joined together to give a higher level of organization called complexes of compounds.

Figure: Levels of organization of matter

Such levels of matter can be viewed as a pyramid. In this pyramid any given level contains all lower, levels as its, component and itself is 1 also a component of all higher levels. For example, atoms contain subatomic particles as components, and atoms are themselves components of chemical compounds. Similarly, in living matter, complexes of compounds occur as submicroscopic and microscopic bodies 4 called organelles, capable of carrying on specialized functions within the cell.