Plant -+ Deer --+ Tiger The first step in the energy chain that created the bonds of proteins in the tiger's muscle cells in the food chain shown above is the

A. deer the tiger ate.

B. plant the deer ate.

C. photons the sun made.

D. carbohydrates the plant made.

I think it is D.

Dulce -- please use the same name for your posts.

D is correct.

Great job! You are correct. The first step in the energy chain that created the bonds of proteins in the tiger's muscle cells is the carbohydrates the plant made.

To understand why this is the correct answer, let's look at the food chain shown above:

Plant -> Deer -> Tiger

In this food chain, the plant is the producer, meaning it is capable of photosynthesis and produces its own food using energy from the sun. During photosynthesis, the plant converts solar energy into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates.

When the deer consumes the plant, it obtains the energy stored in the carbohydrates. Through the process of digestion and metabolic processes, the carbohydrates are broken down by the deer's body into simpler forms, such as glucose, which can be utilized by its cells.

Finally, when the tiger preys on the deer, it obtains the energy stored in the deer's body, including the energy derived from the carbohydrates of the plant. This energy is utilized for various cellular processes, including the synthesis of proteins that are present in the tiger's muscle cells.

Therefore, the carbohydrates produced by the plant are the initial source of energy that ultimately gets transformed into the bonds of proteins in the tiger's muscle cells. Hence, the correct answer is D. carbohydrates the plant made.