Carbon and energy are among the most basic life resources and organisms that have been classified with respect to how they are obtained.What term describes an organism that obtains these substances from inorganic molecules in rock and air?
A) chemoheterotroph
B) photoautotroph
C) photoheterotroph
D) chemoautotroph

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Chemoautotrophs obtain carbon and energy from inorganic molecules in rock and air through chemosynthesis, which involves obtaining energy by oxidizing inorganic substances such as sulfur, ammonia, and methane. This process is distinct from photosynthesis, which is used by photoautotrophs and photoheterotrophs to obtain energy from sunlight. Chemoheterotrophs, on the other hand, obtain both carbon and energy from organic compounds by consuming other living or once-living organisms.

Carbon and Energy Are Among the Most Basic Life Resources