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Multiple Choice
Which of the following organisms are classified as heterotrophs?
A
Grass
B
Oak trees
C
Cyanobacteria
D
Mushrooms
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the term 'heterotroph.' Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming organic matter from other organisms for energy. This is in contrast to autotrophs, which can produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
Step 2: Analyze the options provided. Grass, oak trees, and cyanobacteria are autotrophs because they can produce their own food through photosynthesis. Mushrooms, however, are fungi and rely on decomposing organic matter for energy, making them heterotrophs.
Step 3: Recall the characteristics of fungi. Fungi, including mushrooms, are heterotrophic organisms that obtain nutrients by breaking down organic material in their environment. They do not perform photosynthesis.
Step 4: Compare the nutritional strategies of autotrophs and heterotrophs. Autotrophs synthesize their own food using sunlight or chemical energy, while heterotrophs depend on consuming other organisms or organic matter.
Step 5: Conclude that mushrooms are classified as heterotrophs because they rely on decomposing organic material for energy, unlike grass, oak trees, and cyanobacteria, which are autotrophs.