EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -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. Plants are the most familiar type of autotroph, but there are many different kinds of autotrophic organisms.

Detailed explanation-2: -“Autotrophs are organisms that prepare their own food through the process of photosynthesis, whereas heterotrophs are organisms that cannot prepare their own food and depend upon autotrophs for nutrition.”

Detailed explanation-3: -Not all living organisms can prepare their food. The green plants can produce their foods using and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight, hence they are called autotrophs or producers.

Detailed explanation-4: -Producers can make their own food and energy, but consumers are different. Living things that have to hunt, gather and eat their food are called consumers. Consumers have to eat to gain energy or they will die. There are four types of consumers: omnivores, carnivores, herbivores and decomposers.

Detailed explanation-5: -Some plants do not have chlorophyll and depend upon other plants for their food. Such plants exhibit a heterotrophic mode of nutrition and are known as heterotrophic plants.