Final answer:
Organelles provide specialized functions within eukaryotic cells, increasing their efficiency and allowing for more complex operations than in prokaryotic cells, supported by the endosymbiotic theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cells find organelles beneficial because organelles allow for compartmentalization of various functions, thus increasing efficiency and specialization within the cell. The endosymbiotic theory suggests that some organelles, like mitochondria and chloroplasts, were once free-living prokaryotes that provided distinct advantages to ancestral eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria generate energy for the cell, whereas chloroplasts in plant cells convert sunlight into food via photosynthesis. Lysosomes serve as the cell's "garbage disposal" by breaking down various substances at a low pH, a condition that is compartmentalized to avoid damaging other cellular components. Similarly, vacuoles in plant cells handle storage and digestion. The specialization of these organelles illustrates the principle that form follows function in biology, with the diverse array of organelles enabling eukaryotic cells to carry out more complex tasks than their prokaryotic counterparts.