Outside raw materials used by an organism are substances obtained from its external environment that are essential for its survival, growth, and functioning. These include:
- For animals (heterotrophic organisms): food, water, and oxygen. Food provides energy and nutrients, oxygen is used for breaking down food to release energy through respiration, and water aids digestion and various biological functions.
- For plants (autotrophic organisms): carbon dioxide, water, minerals, and sunlight. Plants use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to synthesize their own food via photosynthesis. Minerals are important for building plant structures and metabolism.
In general, these raw materials serve as the basis for energy production, growth, repair, and various biochemical processes within organisms to maintain life.
