Why is it possible for different microorganisms to extract energy not only from carbohydrates and other biological molecules but from a large variety of substances, such as petroleum, methane, benzene, toluene and even inorganic molecules, such as hydrogen, sulfur, ammonia, and iron?

Explanation:

Due to lack of food availability of a specific type the microbial strains might have undergone with adaptation due to natural selection. This resulted in switching to multiple sources of chemical substances as a source of food and energy.

carbohydrates: (starches and sugars) composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

lipids: (fats, oils, and waxes) are made of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

nucleic acids: contain hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus. they are polymers of nucleotides. a nucleotide has three parts, a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate     (-po⬇️4) group, and a nitrogenous base.

proteins: made up of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. they are polymers of amino acids.