Question

Distinguish between human sperm and ovum.

Hint:

Think of their roles: the sperm is designed for a long, competitive journey (small, motile, high numbers), while the ovum is designed to be a nutrient-rich target that provides for the early embryo (large, non-motile, resource-heavy).

Answer 1

Comparison between Human Sperm and Human Ovum (Egg)

Feature	Human Sperm	Human Ovum (Egg)
Size	Microscopic, about $50 \,\mu m$ long. It is one of the smallest cells in the human body.	Large, about $120 \,\mu m$ in diameter. It is the largest cell in the human body.
Motility	Motile, possesses a tail (flagellum) that helps it swim towards the ovum.	Non-motile, cannot move on its own and depends on movement within the female reproductive tract.
Shape	Tadpole-shaped with a distinct head, middle piece, and tail.	Spherical or oval in shape.
Cytoplasm	Contains very little cytoplasm, as most of the space is utilized for genetic material and motility structures.	Contains a large amount of cytoplasm (ooplasm) rich in nutrients (yolk) that support the developing embryo.
Mitochondria	Present in the middle piece to provide ATP energy required for flagellar movement.	Scattered throughout the cytoplasm, helping in metabolic activities of the ovum.
Production	Produced in very large numbers (millions) continuously after puberty throughout the male’s life.	Typically, only one is produced during each menstrual cycle from puberty until menopause.
Genetic Makeup	Contains either an X or a Y chromosome, which determines the sex of the offspring ($XY =$ male, $XX =$ female).	Contains only an X chromosome.