Question

A hawk swoops down and catches a squirrel as prey. The squirrel provides energy for the hawk. What happens to the rest of the food molecules?
A.
The molecules get converted to metals.
B.
The molecules get converted to other types of molecules.
C.
The molecules are converted to energy and get used up.
D.
The molecules get used up.

Answer 1

B. The molecules get converted to other types of molecules.

Explanation: The hawk digests the squirrel's tissues, breaking food molecules down and reassembling their atoms into the hawk's own biomolecules (muscle, fat, enzymes) or into waste products (CO2, H2O, urea). Chemical energy is released during metabolism (captured as ATP), but matter is not converted into energy (except in nuclear reactions), so A and C are wrong; D is too vague compared with B.