Which term describes organisms capable of synthesizing their own organic compounds from inorganic sources?

Which term describes organisms capable of synthesizing their own organic compounds from inorganic sources?

• A. Phototroph
• B. Chemotroph
• C. Autotrophic
• D. Heterotrophic

Answer: (C)

Autotrophy means making organic molecules from inorganic carbon sources, like carbon dioxide. Organisms that are autotrophic can build the sugars and other compounds they need starting from CO2, using energy from light or from inorganic chemical reactions. That includes photoautotrophs such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, which use light to drive carbon fixation, and chemoautotrophs, which use chemical energy to fix carbon without relying on light. Heterotrophs, on the other hand, must obtain pre-formed organic compounds from other organisms. Phototrophs and chemotrophs describe how energy is obtained, not how carbon is sourced, so they don’t by themselves specify the ability to synthesize from inorganic carbon. So the term that best fits the description is autotrophic.

Autotrophy means making organic molecules from inorganic carbon sources, like carbon dioxide. Organisms that are autotrophic can build the sugars and other compounds they need starting from CO2, using energy from light or from inorganic chemical reactions. That includes photoautotrophs such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, which use light to drive carbon fixation, and chemoautotrophs, which use chemical energy to fix carbon without relying on light. Heterotrophs, on the other hand, must obtain pre-formed organic compounds from other organisms. Phototrophs and chemotrophs describe how energy is obtained, not how carbon is sourced, so they don’t by themselves specify the ability to synthesize from inorganic carbon. So the term that best fits the description is autotrophic.