A lion eats the meat of a buffalo. How do the molecules in the buffalo act as building blocks for the lion?

Question

Responses

The proteins that make up the buffalo are broken into smaller parts (building blocks) that can be used to make new proteins in the body of the lion.
The proteins that make up the buffalo are broken into smaller parts (building blocks) that can be used to make new proteins in the body of the lion.

Meat from the buffalo is converted into energy. The lion then uses this energy to capture molecules from the air.
Meat from the buffalo is converted into energy. The lion then uses this energy to capture molecules from the air.

The proteins that make up the buffalo are added to the proteins that make up the lion (building blocks) and used to make the fats for the body of the lion.
The proteins that make up the buffalo are added to the proteins that make up the lion (building blocks) and used to make the fats for the body of the lion.

Meat from the buffalo is converted into energy. The lion then uses this energy to build up its body composition.

Answer 1

The best response to explain how the molecules in the buffalo act as building blocks for the lion is:

The proteins that make up the buffalo are broken into smaller parts (building blocks) that can be used to make new proteins in the body of the lion.

In this process, the lion digests the buffalo meat, breaking down the proteins into amino acids, which are then used to synthesize new proteins necessary for the lion's own bodily functions and growth. This captures the essential concept of how nutrients from one organism can be utilized by another for building and maintaining biological structures.