Autotrophs
What is an autotroph?
An organism that makes its own food using sunlight or chemical energy.
What is a heterotroph?
An organism that cannot produce its own food and instead consumes other organisms.
What is a photoautotroph?
An organism that uses sunlight to produce food.
What are herbivores?
Animals that only eat plants.
What is digestion?
The process of breaking down food into smaller components.
Name one example of an autotroph.
Plants are a common example of autotrophs.
Give one example of a heterotroph.
Animals are examples of heterotrophs.
What is a chemoautotroph?
An organism that obtains energy through chemical reactions, usually from inorganic compounds.
What are carnivores?
Animals that only eat other animals.
What is absorption in nutrition?
The process by which nutrients are taken into the cells of the body.
What process do autotrophs use to convert sunlight into food?
Photosynthesis.
What is the main difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs?
Autotrophs produce their own food, while heterotrophs rely on consuming other organisms.
Which type of autotroph is most commonly known?
Photoautotrophs (like plants).
Define omnivores
Organisms that eat both plants and animals.
What is the role of enzymes in digestion?
Enzymes help break down food into nutrients.
How do chemosynthetic autotrophs obtain energy?
They use chemical reactions, typically involving inorganic substances, to produce energy
Name a type of heterotroph that primarily eats plants.
Herbivores.
Can you name a specific example of a chemoautotroph?
Certain bacteria found in deep-sea vents.
What type of heterotroph breaks down dead organic matter?
Decomposers.
Describe how energy is transferred from autotrophs to heterotrophs
Heterotrophs consume autotrophs (plants) to obtain energy stored in their food.
What are the two main types of autotrophs?
Photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs.
What type of heterotroph eats both plants and animals?
Omnivores.
How do autotrophs contribute to the ecosystem?
They produce oxygen and serve as a food source for heterotrophs.
Why are heterotrophs important for the ecosystem?
They help recycle nutrients and maintain ecological balance.
What is the significance of the food chain in ecosystems?
It illustrates how energy and nutrients flow through different organisms in an ecosystem.