What is the difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic

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You cannot download interactives. A cell is the smallest unit that is typically considered alive and is a fundamental unit of life.

All living organisms are composed of cells, from just one unicellular to many trillions multicellular. Cell biology is the study of cells, their physiology, structure, and life cycle. Teach your students about cell biology using these classroom resources. Encyclopedic entry. An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals.

Because autotrophs produce their own food, they are sometimes called producers. Producers convert water, carbon dioxide, minerals, and sunlight into the organic molecules that are the foundation of all life on Earth. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image Chameleon Chameleons are a bizarre and colorful example of a heterotroph, an organism that consumes other animals or plants — like this unfortunate cricket — to sustain itself.

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Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Photosynthesis involves many chemical reactions, but they can be summed up in a single chemical equation:. Photosynthetic autotrophs capture light energy from the sun and absorb carbon dioxide and water from their environment. Using the light energy, they combine the reactants to produce glucose and oxygen, which is a waste product.

They store the glucose, usually as starch, and they release the oxygen into the atmosphere. This is because it releases the energy in glucose slowly, in many small steps. It uses the energy that is released to form molecules of ATP.

Cellular respiration involves many chemical reactions, which can be summed up with this chemical equation:. Cellular respiration occurs in the cells of all living things. It takes place in the cells of both autotrophs and heterotrophs. All of them burn glucose to form ATP. Autotrophs vs. Heterotrophs Living organisms obtain chemical energy in one of two ways.

Making and Using Food The flow of energy through living organisms begins with photosynthesis. Photosynthesis Photosynthesis is often considered to be the single most important life process on Earth. Summary Autotrophs store chemical energy in carbohydrate food molecules they build themselves.

Most autotrophs make their "food" through photosynthesis using the energy of the sun. Chemosynthesis is used to produce food using the chemical energy stored in inorganic molecules. Explore More Use this resource to answer the questions that follow. Autotroph vs. Define autotroph and heterotroph.

What position do autotrophs fill in a food chain? Give examples of autotrophs and heterotrophs. Describe energy production in photoautotrophs. What is a chemoheterotroph? Review Compare autotrophs to heterotrophs, and describe the relationship between these two groups of organisms. Explanation: Autotrophs are organisms which produce their own food.

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