* Energy: Animals are heterotrophs, meaning they can't make their own food like plants do. Instead, they obtain energy by consuming other organisms, either directly (like eating plants) or indirectly (like eating animals that eat plants). This food contains chemical energy stored in bonds of molecules like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. When animals break down these food molecules, they release the stored energy, which they use for processes like movement, growth, and maintaining body temperature.
* Matter: Just like energy, animals get the matter they need to build and repair their bodies from the food they eat. This matter includes essential nutrients like:
* Macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (which provide building blocks for tissues and energy)
* Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals (which are essential for various bodily functions)
So, the food animals eat is their source of both the energy they need to function and the matter they need to grow and maintain their bodies.