EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Various protists like diatoms, dinoflagellates, algae perform photosynthesis. These are colonial unicellular organisms having chlorophyll which enables them to perform photosynthesis. Nearly 80% of global photosynthesis is performed by photosynthetic Protista. The correct answer is D.

Detailed explanation-2: -Protists that use photosynthetic processes include dinoflagellates, euglena, and diatoms. These have flagella for movement and are unicellular. Photosynthetic protists are eukaryotic organisms that produce their own food and mostly contain chloroplast.

Detailed explanation-3: -Only cells with chloroplasts-plant cells and algal (protist) cells-can perform photosynthesis. Animal cells and fungal cells do not have chloroplasts and, therefore, cannot photosynthesize. That is why these organisms, as well as the non-photosynthetic protists, rely on other organisms to obtain their energy.

Detailed explanation-4: -Plant-like protists are called algae. They include single-celled diatoms and multicellular seaweed. Like plants, algae contain chlorophyll and make food by photosynthesis.