Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs

Key Questions

  • Answer:

    By consuming organic matter.

    Explanation:

    A heterotroph is defined as "an organism deriving its nutritional requirements from complex organic substances." So, humans and most animals are heterotrophs. By consuming organic matter and breaking down that matter for energy. Heterotrophs can NOT produce their own energy, and completely rely on consumption of food.

    An autotroph can make its own energy synthetically by using simple ingredients in its environment. A plant, using photosynthesis, is an autotroph. Sunlight is the simple ingredient. It takes that simple ingredient and creates energy with it. If you are ever confused between the two, the prefix "auto" means "oneself", if you can't remember that just remember that autotrophs make their food automatically.

  • Answer:

    Heterotrophs depend on autotrophs for energy as it provides food for them.

    Explanation:

    As heterotrophs cannot produce their own energy, they eat autotrophs for energy such as grass, berries, nuts or any food they find in the wild.

  • Answer:

    Sunlight is absorbed by the green pigment, chlorophyll and the solar energy is converted into chemical energy in the form of #"ATP"#.

    Explanation:

    Autotrophs capture sunlight by the pigment chlorophyll and is used for the synthesis of glucose #(C_6H_12O_6)# from simple, inorganic substances like #CO_2# and #H_2O# during photosynthesis.

    Photosynthesis occurs in 2 steps:

    1. Hill's reaction

    2. Dark reaction

    Light reaction or Hill's reaction involves capturing sunlight and converting solar energy into chemical energy in the form of #"ATP"#. This occurs by breakdown of water into #H^+# ions and #O^(2-)# ions. This is termed by photolysis of water. Excited electrons from #O^(2-)# pass through a series of electron carriers, losing energy during their passage. This energy is converted into #"ATP"#. The remaining#H^+# ions reduce #"NADP"# to #"NADPH"#.

    #"ATP"# and #"NADPH"# produced during light reaction are used in the dark reaction for reduction of #CO_2# to #C_6H_12O_6#.

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