What is a autotroph and heterotroph whats the difference?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

An autotroph is an organism that creates its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. This is like a plant or protist.

A heterotroph is like a human or other animal; they cannot produce their own food and must eat other organisms to live.

Source(s):

http://dictionary.reference.com/

Answer 2

An autotroph (from the Greek autos = self and trophe = nutrition) is an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules and an external source of energy, such as light or chemical reactions of inorganic compounds. Autotrophs are considered producers in a food chain.
A heterotroph (Greek heterone = (an)other and trophe = nutrition) is an organism that requires organic substrates to get its carbon for growth and development. A heterotroph is known as a consumer in the food chain. Contrast with autotrophs which use inorganic carbon dioxide or bicarbonate as sole carbon source. All animals are heterotrophic, as well as fungi and many bacteria. Some parasitic plants have also turned fully or partially heterotrophic, whereas carnivorous plants use their flesh diet to augment their nitrogen supply, but are still autotrophic.

Source(s):

en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Answer 3

an autotroph makes its own food and a heterotroph eats other things

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterotroph http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotroph
8th grade science

Answer 4

an autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food and a heterotroph is an organism that feed of otherorganisms

Answer 5

Autotrophs make thier own food i.e. plants
Heterotrophs have to eat their food i.e. us