What is the difference between an autotroph and a herterotroph?

Answer 1

Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food using inorganic substances, typically through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, allowing them to convert sunlight or chemical energy into organic compounds. In contrast, heterotrophs cannot synthesize their own food and rely on consuming other organisms, either plants or animals, for energy and nutrients. Essentially, autotrophs are primary producers, while heterotrophs are consumers in the food chain.