Which characteristic is found in the whale but not in its food source, the phytoplankton?

Heterotrophic

Heterotrophs are secondary and tertiary consumers. Carbon fixation is the process of converting inorganic carbon (CO2) into organic compounds such as carbohydrates, usually by photosynthesis. Organisms, which can use carbon fixation to manufacture their own nutrition, are called autotrophs.

So, Whales are predators so they are Heterotrophs while phytoplankton can make their own food so they are autotrophs.

cellular respiration oxidizes food into energy in the form of atps.

glycolysis (6 c hexose) > 2x atps are used > 6c hexose biphosphate > 2 x 3c triphosphate >

2 x 3c pyruvate (2x nadh produced from nad) and (4x atp produced)

pyruvate actively pumped mitochondrial matrix.

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