Final answer:
Rabbits obtain energy through the consumption of plants, which are primary producers and harness energy via photosynthesis. This energy is then converted into ATP, the energy currency of cells, providing the rabbit with the free energy it needs to perform bodily functions, grow, and reproduce.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rabbits, as herbivores, obtain their energy for living and growing directly from consuming plants.
Plants are the primary producers in an ecosystem and they accumulate energy through photosynthesis. This energy is then passed on to herbivores, such as rabbits, when they consume these plants. The ingested plant material is broken down, and the energy contained within is made available to the rabbit through the process of digestion and metabolic pathways.
All living organisms, including rabbits, require a constant input of free energy to maintain organization, to grow, and to reproduce. Free energy is the usable energy that is extracted from food sources. In the case of a rabbit, the process of cellular respiration converts the energy found in plant matter into ATP, which is the energy currency used by cells for all physiological processes.