PSLE Science – General Practice Test

Organisms that produce their own food are known as autotrophs or producers. These organisms have the ability to convert inorganic substances, such as carbon dioxide and minerals, into organic compounds using an energy source, commonly sunlight through the process of photosynthesis. This process is fundamental to the ecosystem as it allows autotrophs to form the base of the food chain, providing energy and organic material for other organisms.

Herbivores, which primarily consume plant material, do not produce their own food; instead, they rely on autotrophs. Consumers include animals that eat other organisms, whether they are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores, which also do not synthesize their own food. Decomposers, like fungi and bacteria, break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the environment but do not create their own food directly from inorganic sources. Thus, the term "autotrophs" accurately describes those organisms that have the ability to generate their own food.

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