JAMB UTMEBiologyHuman Physiology2023

The largest organ in the human body is the:

AHeart
BLiver
CSkinCORRECT
DLungs
AI
Toasta AI Explanation
Why the answer is C, and why the others tempt you.
**The reasoning** When we talk about the "largest organ," we need to think about **total surface area and mass**. Your skin covers your entire body from head to toe — roughly 1.5 to 2 square meters in adults! It weighs about 3.6 kg (around 16% of your body weight). Compare this to your liver (about 1.5 kg) or heart (about 300g). The skin is also the body's first line of defense, regulating temperature, protecting against germs, and sensing the environment. **The principle here: "largest" means total area and weight combined**, not just what feels biggest inside. **Why the wrong options tempt you** - **Heart/Liver/Lungs** feel more "important" or "vital," so your mind jumps there. The liver is indeed the largest *internal* organ, but skin beats it overall. - We often forget skin is an organ because we see it as just "covering" rather than a functional system. **Quick takeaway** Think of your skin as a 2-square-meter protective suit you're always wearing — that's what makes it the heavyweight champion of human organs!
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