Question

organisms living near hydrothermal vents are ______.
a. thermosynthesizers
b. sedimentrophs
c. chemoautotrophs
d. photosynthesizers

Explanation:

Hydrothermal vents are deep - sea environments with no sunlight. Photosynthesis (which requires light) is not possible here. Chemosynthesis is the process by which chemoautotrophs obtain energy. They use inorganic compounds (like hydrogen sulfide from hydrothermal vents) to produce organic matter. There is no such thing as thermosynthesis in this context. Sedimentrophs is not a recognized term for the primary producers in hydrothermal vent ecosystems.

Answer:

C. chemoautotrophs