Final answer:
Protists are a diverse kingdom of eukaryotic organisms that can exhibit characteristics similar to animals, plants, or fungi, and they can be autotrophs or heterotrophs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that are neither animals, plants, nor fungi. They can be classified into three groups: animal-like protists, plant-like protists, and fungi-like protists.
Animal-like protists, called protozoa, are single-celled eukaryotes that can move and eat things outside of themselves. Plant-like protists, known as algae, are autotrophs that perform photosynthesis to produce their own food. Fungi-like protists are heterotrophs that have cells with cell walls and reproduce by forming spores.
In summary, protists can be animal-like, plant-like, or fungi-like.