Question

As a plant grows, its mass increases. The matter that makes up this new mass comes mostly from air and water that the plant changes into compounds such as cellulose using the energy from sunlight.



As an animal grows, its mass increases. The matter that makes up this new mass comes mostly from
A.
food that the animal has eaten and changed into other compounds.
B.
substances that the animal has eaten but cannot digest.
C.
air and water that the animal changes into other compounds using the energy from sunlight.
D.
compounds that the animal breaks down into water and carbon dioxide.

Answer 1

A. food that the animal has eaten and changed into other compounds.

Animals obtain organic molecules by eating and then assimilating those nutrients into new tissues; they do not make biomass from air and sunlight (like plants do).