Which type of organism can synthesize its own energy storage molecules such as glucose?

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

Answer: (A)

Organisms that can build their own energy-rich molecules from inorganic sources are autotrophs, often called producers. They capture energy from the environment—sunlight in photosynthesis or chemical energy in chemosynthesis—and use it to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, which they can store as starch or other forms. This ability to synthesize glucose sets them apart from others in the food web.

The other types rely on consuming or decomposing other organisms for organic molecules. Consumers eat living or recently killed matter to obtain energy and carbon; decomposers break down dead material to access nutrients, not to synthesize glucose from inorganic carbon. Predators are a subset of consumers that hunt for prey.