Question

A chemosynthetic autotroph would make its living by:

Combining energy rich organic compounds with oxygen to generate energy and produce low energy inorganic by-products
Converting energy poor inorganic compounds into energy rich organic compounds and by-products using the heat that flows from hydrothermal vents.
Combining energy poor inorganic compounds with an energy rich inorganic compound to produce an energy rich organic compound and energy poor by-products.
Converting energy poor inorganic compounds into energy rich organic compounds and inorganic by-products by using solar energy.
Converting an energy rich organic compound into a lower-energy organic compound and an energy poor inorganic by-product.

Answer 1

A chemosynthetic autotroph produces energy-rich organic compounds from energy-poor inorganic substances, using chemical reactions instead of sunlight, like those found in deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems.

Step-by-step explanation:

A chemosynthetic autotroph would make its living by combining energy-poor inorganic compounds with an energy-rich inorganic compound to produce an energy-rich organic compound and energy-poor by-products. Unlike photosynthetic autotrophs, which use solar energy, chemoautotrophs derive energy from chemical reactions often involving substances like hydrogen sulfide or methane. These organisms play a critical role in unique ecosystems such as those found in hydrothermal vents, where light is not available, by acting as primary producers and supporting a diverse array of life.