How do animals get energy for their cells?

Animals primarily get energy for their cells by eating food. When animals consume food, their bodies break it down through digestion, extracting nutrients, which are then converted into energy through metabolic processes. This energy is used to support various functions such as movement, growth, and cellular maintenance.

While some organisms, like plants, capture sunlight to produce energy through photosynthesis, animals do not do this. Instead, they rely on consuming other organisms or organic materials to obtain the necessary energy. Sleeping and exhaling carbon dioxide are not direct methods for acquiring energy. Sleep is a restorative process, and exhaling carbon dioxide is a byproduct of respiration, not a source of energy.