Which of the following statements best describes the carbon atoms present in a seed-eating bird?
A) Inorganic carbon atoms in the seeds were incorporated into organic molecules by the bird.
B) The carbon atoms ultimately came from the soil.
C) The carbon atoms are ultimately derived from coal.
D) The carbon atoms ultimately came from carbon dioxide incorporated into sugars through photosynthesis.
E) The carbon atoms ultimately came from simple organic compounds that formed abiotically from inorganic carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The carbon atoms in a seed-eating bird ultimately come from carbon dioxide that was incorporated into sugars through photosynthesis. Plants are the primary producers in most ecosystems and they use carbon dioxide from the air to make organic compounds through photosynthesis. When a seed-eating bird eats seeds, it consumes the organic compounds that the plant made from carbon dioxide, and the bird incorporates those organic molecules into its own tissues. Eventually, the carbon atoms will be recycled back into the ecosystem as the bird's body decomposes.

Which of the Following Statements Best Describes the Carbon Atoms