Which classification refers to organisms that use light energy?

Organisms that utilize light energy to produce food are classified as phototrophs. This classification encompasses a variety of organisms, including plants, algae, and certain bacteria, that carry out photosynthesis. During this process, they convert light energy, typically from the sun, into chemical energy stored in glucose, which can then be utilized for growth and metabolic activities.

In contrast to phototrophs, heterotrophs obtain their energy from consuming organic compounds made by other organisms. Autotrophs include both phototrophs and chemotrophs; they can synthesize their own food but do so either through light energy (phototrophs) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemotrophs). Chemotrophs, on the other hand, derive their energy from the oxidation of chemical compounds, which does not involve light energy. Thus, the term phototrophs specifically identifies those organisms that rely on light as their primary energy source, making it the correct classification in this context.