Question

Which of the following best describes how plants and animals differ in how they take up nutrients? select one:

a. plants must absorb all 20 amino acids, whereas animals are able to synthesize all amino acids.
b. plants take up complex molecules; animals take up relatively simple molecules and synthesize larger molecules.
c. there is no difference; plants and animals take up similar molecules and synthesize them or break them down based on their needs.
d. plants take up simple molecules, which they synthesize into larger molecules; animals take up larger, more complex molecules.
e. plants need to take in nitrogen-containing molecules, but animals do not.

Answer 1

Plants absorb simple molecules from the environment and synthesize them into complex ones, whereas animals ingest complex molecules and digest them into simpler forms for cellular use. The correct answer is (D).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the differences between how plants and animals obtain and utilize nutrients. Animals consume complex molecules like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, which they must then digest into simpler molecules for absorption and use. In contrast, plants absorb simple molecules such as water, carbon dioxide, nitrates, and sulfates directly from their environment and synthesize them into complex biological molecules necessary for their growth and function. Plants utilize processes like photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, which they then use along with other absorbed simple molecules to build complex structures like proteins and fats.

The correct answer to the question: "Which of the following best describes how plants and animals differ in how they take up nutrients?" is (D) plants take up simple molecules, which they synthesize into larger molecules; animals take up larger, more complex molecules.