| Questions | 5 |
| Topics | Consumers, Cytoplasm, Genes, Heredity, Secondary Consumers |
Most animals consume other organisms to survive. Consumers (heterotrophs) are divided into three types, primary, secondary, and tertiary, based on their place in the food chain.
The nucleus of a eukaryotic cell contains the genetic material of the cell and is surrounded by cytoplasm which contains many organelles. These include:
| Organelle | Function |
|---|---|
| ribosomes | produce proteins |
| mitochondria | produce energy |
| endoplasmic reticulum | helps synthesize proteins and fats |
| Golgi apparatus | prepare proteins for use |
| lysosomes | help the cell manage waste |
| centrosomes | guide cell reproduction |
The gene is the base unit of inheritance and is contained within DNA. A gene may come in several varieties (alleles) and there are a pair of alleles for every gene. If the alleles are alike, a person is homozygous for that gene. If the alleles are different, heterozygous.
Heredity is the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another. Heredity is made possible via large strings of chromosomes which carry information encoded in genes.
Secondary consumers (carnivores) subsist mainly on primary consumers. Omnivores are secondary consumers that also eat producers. Examples are rats, fish, and chickens.