Which term describes an organism that collects energy from sunlight or inorganic substances to produce food?

• A. Heterotroph
• B. Detritovore
• C. Autotroph
• D. Decomposer

Answer: (C)

Autotrophs are organisms that capture energy from sunlight or from inorganic chemical reactions to synthesize their own organic food. They serve as the producers at the base of most ecosystems, turning light or chemical energy into organic matter that others can rely on. In photosynthesis, plants, algae, and many cyanobacteria convert light into sugars. In chemosynthesis, certain bacteria living in environments without light use chemical energy to build organic compounds. Organisms that rely on consuming other living beings (heterotrophs), feeding on detritus, or decomposing matter do not make their own food, which is why they are not autotrophs.