To compare each trait, consider a bacterium as an example of a prokaryote and a plant or animal cell as an example of a eukaryote.

I. Contains membrane-bound organelles—membrane-bound organelles are a defining characteristic of eukaryotes, and are not found in prokaryotes.

II. Undergoes glycolysis—glycolysis is used by both prokaryotes and eukaryotes as a part of cellular respiration

III. Contains ribosomes—ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis. All living cells must be capable of synthesizing proteins in order to function.

IV. Has a cell wall—cell walls are not found in animal cells, but are present in plant cells and bacteria.

Glycolysis, ribosomes, and cell walls can be found in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.

Prokaryotes are devoid of a nucleus, so their genetic material is contained in a specific region called the nucleoid. While not all eukaryotes will have flagella and cell walls, plant cells have cell walls and sperm cells have flagella. Mitochondria are found in eukaryotes, not prokaryotes.

The state of genetic material differs between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells contain multiple linear chromosomes, called "true" chromosomes, while prokaryotic cells contain circular DNA molecules that are not true chromosomes, since they lack histones. Prokaryotic DNA molecules have only one copy of each gene and little repetitive and non-coding DNA, contributing to the compact nature of the prokaryotic genome. 

The key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is that eukaryotes contain membrane-bound organelles, while prokaryotic cells do not. Chloroplasts, lysosomes, and nuclei are all membrane-bound organelles that may be present in eukaryotic cells only. Cytoplasm can be found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The cytoplasm is not a membrane-bound organelle within the cell, but a fluid compartment that provides support to the cell and is the site of many metabolic reactions. The cytoplasm is largely composed of water.

Examples of eukaryotic cells include plant, fungal, protist and animal cells. Myocytes (muscle cells) and human epithelial (skin) cells are both animal cells and are therefore eukaryotic. Parenchyma cells are plant cells that synthesize organic products, and are therefore eukaryotic. Examples of prokaryotic cells include bacteria. E. coli is a species of bacteria often found in the lower intestines of warm-blooded animals. All bacterial cells are prokaryotic, making an E. coli cell an example of a prokaryotic cell. 

Genetic recombination is one method by which the genome can change over time; the exchange of genetic material allows for the new combination of genes. Genetic recombination can be observed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In eukaryotic cells, genetic recombination occurs during the crossing over event of meiosis, when homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material. In prokaryotes, genetic recombination occurs through the unilateral transfer of DNA. This includes transduction, transformation, and conjugation. Transduction the process by which DNA is transferred between bacterial cells by a virus. Transformation is the uptake of DNA from a bacteria's environment. Conjugation, or “bacterial sexual genetic recombination”, is the transfer of plasmid DNA between cells by physical contact, through a pilus.

Cells are encased in a semi-permeable phospholipid bilayer called the cell (plasma) membrane. Cell membranes serve to organize and protect the cell. Eukaryotic cells also have internal membranes, which enclose organelles, including the nuclear membrane. Plant, and fungal cells have an additional membrane, called the cell wall, outside of the cell membrane that offers additional support, protection, and rigidity. 

Eukaryotic DNA is separated from the rest of the cell in the nucleus, which is surrounded by a nuclear membrane. Bacteria and archaea are both prokaryotes, and thus do not have any membrane-bound organelles. Note that all cells have ribosomes, since they are not membrane-bound.

Protists consist of single celled eukaryotes and a few closely related multicellular organisms. Plantae contain multicellular eukaryotic organisms. Archaea and Bacteria are all prokaryotic. Examples of a single-celled eukaryotic protist are species of the genus Plasmodium, which cause malaria.

Nucleoids are found in prokaryotic cells. The nucleoid is the area of a cell that contains the DNA, and unlike the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, the nucleoid lacks a membrane to separate the DNA from the rest of the cell. The nucleolus is a structure within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, and is the site of ribosome assembly.