AUTOS: (self) and TROPHE: (nutrition) In this mode of nutrition organisms which can prepare their own food from inorganic raw material such as carbon dioxide and water taken from their surroundings are known as autotrophic organisms.
Examples of Autotrophic modes of nutrition:
In this mode of nutrition in which organisms can prepare their own food from inorganic raw material taken from their surroundings are known as autotrophic organisms.
The process by which plants manufacture their organic compounds by taking inorganic compounds from their surroundings, in the presence of sunlight is called photosynthesis.
Sunlight provides the energy which is stored in chlorophyll of the plant cells. Enzymes are also headed for this process. This process is completed in the mesophyll cells of the leaves where chlorophyll is present. In this way the plant builds sugar molecules from simple compounds i.e. carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.
6CO2+ 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
HETEROTROPHIC: In this mode of nutrition in which organisms cannot synthesis their own food from simple inorganic materials such as carbon dioxide, water and depend on other organisms from its food.
The animals and all other organisms that cannot make their own food area called consumers.
There are three main types of consumers.
Herbivores are the animals that eat plants. Goat, cow etc.
Carnivores are animals that eat other animals. Lion, leopard etc.
Omnivores are the animals that eat both plants and animals. (human,monkey etc.