Which of the following are examples of organic carbon sources used by heterotrophs?

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Heterotrophs obtain carbon from organic compounds produced by other organisms. They break down these organic molecules—such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids—into simpler units that feed into central metabolism and provide carbon skeletons for biosynthesis. Ammonia supplies nitrogen, not carbon; CO2 is inorganic carbon used by autotrophs; and water is not a carbon source. Therefore, the organic carbon sources used by heterotrophs are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.