Question

read the passage and answer the following question(s).
passage 12489
directions: read the passage about food webs
ecosystems are composed of nonliving (abiotic) and living (biotic) parts. matter and energy are
changed between these two parts. food webs are models that are used to show the flow of
matter and energy within the biotic parts of an ecosystem. the diagram shows a food web.
energy from the sun in the form of sunlight is trapped by the producers. producers use this
sunlight, along with water and carbon dioxide to produce food. this food is used by the producers
for their growth and development. when other organisms eat the producers, matter and energy
are transferred to the consumer. these consumers are in turn often eaten by other organisms, and
matter and energy is transferred again. however, at each energy transfer, a certain amount of
energy is lost to the environment as heat, so less and less energy is transferred each time.
when organisms die, their bodies are broken down by decomposers. decomposers receive energy
from the decaying matter. in the process of decomposition, matter from all levels of the food chain
is released back into the soil in the form of nutrients.

1. why should grasshoppers be classified as consumers in the food web?

a. they produce their own food.
b. they eat other animals for food.
c. they obtain their food from producers.
d. they obtain energy from decaying matter.

Explanation:

Consumers in a food web are organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms. Grasshoppers do not produce their own food (so not A). They do not eat other animals (so not B). They do not obtain food from producers (so not C). They rely on decaying matter (as per the passage description of decomposers' role in releasing nutrients, but wait no - wait the key is consumers eat. Wait no, re - check. Wait the passage says producers use sunlight. Consumers eat producers or other consumers. Grasshoppers eat grass (a producer). But wait the options: Wait the question is why classified as consumers. The definition of consumers is they eat (obtain energy by consuming). Option B says 'they eat other animals' - no. Option A 'produce their own food' - no (producers do that). Option C 'obtain food from producers' - but the more general definition of consumers is they don't produce their own food. Wait no, the strict biological definition: Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on other organisms for energy. Grasshoppers eat plants (producers). So they don't produce their own food (A wrong). They don't eat other animals (B wrong). Obtaining from producers is part of being a consumer, but the best fit is that consumers in general don't produce their own food. Wait no, re - check the options. The options: A. They produce their own food (no, that's producers). B. They eat other animals (no, if they eat plants, this is wrong). C. They obtain their food from producers (yes, but the more general consumer definition is they don't produce. But in the context of the options, since grasshoppers eat plants (producers), C is correct. D. They obtain energy from decaying matter (no, that's decomposers).

Answer:

C. They obtain their food from producers.