An organism that gets energy storage molecules such as glucose by breaking down dead matter.

• A. Predator
• B. Decomposer
• C. Producer
• D. Consumer

Answer: (B)

Decomposers are organisms that obtain energy by breaking down dead matter and the waste products of living organisms. They specialize in digesting complex organic molecules (like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) found in dead material and returning nutrients to the environment. This process releases the energy stored in those molecules through respiration, which the decomposers use to grow and reproduce. Fungi and bacteria are classic examples.

This is different from a predator, which gains energy by killing and consuming living prey; a producer, which makes glucose from light or inorganic chemicals; and a consumer, which obtains energy by eating other organisms (often but not exclusively living). The key idea is energy acquisition from the breakdown of dead matter, which is exactly what decomposers do.