GED Science Practice 2025 - Free GED Science Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct answer is "heterotroph." Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot synthesize their own food and rely on other sources of organic carbon, typically by consuming other living things, such as plants and animals. This includes a vast array of organisms, such as animals, fungi, and many bacteria. Unlike autotrophs, which produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, heterotrophs obtain their energy by breaking down organic compounds found in their environment.

The other terms in the choices relate to different concepts: "hibernation" refers to a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals during winter, "homogenize" refers to making a mixture uniform, and "homeostasis" is the process by which biological systems maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival. None of these terms describe the characteristic of an organism that does not generate its own food, making "heterotroph" the only appropriate choice.