Question

Give 3 differences between autotrophs and heterotrophs? [3 MARKS]

Answer 1

Definitions:

1. The organisms that make their own food by using inorganic substances are called autotrophs.
2. The organisms that obtain their food from other organisms are called heterotrophs.

Differences:

Autotrophs	Heterotrophs
These organisms make their own food by using sunlight and inorganic substances like water and carbon dioxide.	These organisms obtaining their food by eating autotrophs or other organisms eating the autotrophs. Some heterotrophs obtain their nutrition by absorbing nutrients from other organisms or by dead and decay organic matter. But, they do not produce their own food.
They contain pigments for absorbing sunlight in their cells like green coloured chlophyll pigments in plants.	They do not contain any such pigment for the absorption of the sunlight.
These are also called producers of the ecosystem. Examples are plants, algae, etc.	These are also called consumers in the ecosystem. Examples include animals, and decomposers like fungi.