Question

Differentiate between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.

Answer 1

Autotrophic nutrition:

Autotrophic nutrition is a process where an organism prepares its own food from simple inorganic materials like water, mineral salts, and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight.

Heterotrophic nutrition: Heterotroph is an organism that is unable to synthesize its own food, and therefore, has to rely on other sources, specifically plant and animal matter.



Autotrophic nutrition	Heterotrophic nutrition
1. It means that the organism prepares its own food and is not dependent on any other organism.	1.It means the organism does not prepare its own food and is dependent on another organism for food.
2. food is prepared from ${CO}_2$, water, and sunlight.	2. food cannot be prepared from ${CO}_2$, water, and sunlight.
3. green plants and certain bacteria have an autotrophic mode of nutrition.	3. all animals and fungi, and most bacteria have a heterotrophic mode of nutrition
4. The chloroplast helps in preparing food.	4. They do not contain chloroplast, so cannot prepare food.
5. They obtain energy from inorganic sources by converting light energy into chemical energy.	5. They obtain energy directly or indirectly from other organisms