Which of the following statements correctly describes how chemoheterotrophic aerobes produce their ATP?

• A. They produce ATP exclusively through fermentation, without the use of oxygen.
• B. They use organic molecules as both energy and carbon sources, and generate ATP primarily through aerobic respiration.
• C. They use inorganic molecules as an energy source and generate ATP through chemosynthesis.
• D. They use light as an energy source and produce ATP via photosynthesis.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the term 'chemoheterotrophic aerobes.' Break it down: 'chemo-' refers to chemical energy, 'heterotrophic' means they rely on organic molecules for carbon, and 'aerobes' indicates they require oxygen for their metabolic processes.
2. Step 2: Recall the process of aerobic respiration. Chemoheterotrophic aerobes primarily generate ATP through aerobic respiration, which involves the breakdown of organic molecules (like glucose) in the presence of oxygen to produce energy.
3. Step 3: Compare the options provided in the problem. Eliminate choices that do not align with the characteristics of chemoheterotrophic aerobes. For example, fermentation does not require oxygen, chemosynthesis uses inorganic molecules, and photosynthesis relies on light energy, none of which describe chemoheterotrophic aerobes.
4. Step 4: Focus on the correct description: Chemoheterotrophic aerobes use organic molecules as both energy and carbon sources, and they generate ATP primarily through aerobic respiration. This matches their metabolic characteristics.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is the statement describing the use of organic molecules for energy and carbon sources, with ATP production primarily through aerobic respiration.