What type of organism uses chemicals to make their own energy?

Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own energy through various processes, primarily photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. They utilize inorganic substances, such as carbon dioxide and minerals, to create organic compounds and energy-rich molecules. In the case of photosynthetic autotrophs, they harness light energy from the sun to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen. Chemosynthetic autotrophs, on the other hand, derive energy from chemical reactions involving inorganic compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide or ammonia, which is particularly important in extreme environments like deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

This ability to synthesize their own food distinguishes autotrophs from heterotrophs, which rely on consuming other organisms for energy, and from prokaryotes and eukaryotes, which are classifications based on cellular structure rather than energy production methods. Thus, the defining characteristic of autotrophs is their capability to use chemical processes to create their own energy, making them essential to ecosystems as primary producers.