Lysosomes can digest material because their internal pH is:

1. A lysosome carries hydrolytic enzymes that work only in particular conditions. 2. Those enzymes need an acidic environment to function. 3. The pH within lysosomes is more acidic than the pH of the cytoplasm. 4. Keeping the two separated also protects the cell if a few enzymes leak out. _Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 'Cell Structure', sections 4.1-4.6_