Skip to main content

Photoautotrophs, Heterotrophs, and Chemoautotrophs

This video presents the same text shown beside it, spoken and on screen. It adds nothing the text does not say.

State

A photoautotroph builds its own organic molecules using light energy; a heterotroph consumes other organisms' molecules instead; a chemoautotroph builds its own from inorganic chemicals.

Show

Plants and cyanobacteria are photoautotrophs, animals and fungi are heterotrophs, and deep-sea vent bacteria are chemoautotrophs.

Watch for

All three end up with organic molecules — what separates them is where their energy and carbon come from.

Builds on

  • Nothing — this is a starting point.

Unlocks