Final answer:
Energy in animal cells usually comes prepackaged in the form of ATP, which animals obtain by consuming carbohydrates originally produced by plants through photosynthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
In animal cells, energy arrives prepackaged often in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the primary energy currency of all cells. Unlike plant cells, which have the ability to convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, animal cells rely on consuming organic compounds that have stored energy. Carbohydrates consumed by animals are ultimately derived from plants or other photosynthetic organisms.
During photosynthesis, plants use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, effectively storing light energy in the form of chemical potential energy within carbohydrates. Animals then consume these carbohydrates and, through cellular respiration, extract the energy stored in the chemical bonds of glucose, converting it into ATP. ATP can then be used directly by cells to power various biological functions.