Final answer:
Volvox colonies obtain their food energy through photosynthesis, using chloroplasts to convert light energy into chemical energy. They have specialized cells with eyespots to move towards light, enhancing their photosynthetic efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Volvox Obtain Food Energy
The colonial organism Volvox, which consists of 1,000 to 3,000 photosynthetic algae cells, obtains food energy primarily through photosynthesis. These algae cells are equipped with chloroplasts that allow them to convert light energy into chemical energy, thus serving as major producers in aquatic ecosystems. The presence of eyespots on the cells, especially those at the front of the colony, enables Volvox to effectively move toward light sources, optimizing their photosynthetic capabilities.
In terms of protist nutrition, some protists like Volvox make their own organic molecules through photosynthesis. Other forms of nutrition among protists include ingesting material through phagocytosis, where a cell membrane engulfs a food particle into a vacuole for digestion, and absorbing nutrients across their cell membranes by diffusion.