How do consumers obtain the carbon that they need for their life processes? They breathe it in from the surrounding air.
They break down the plants and animals they eat.
They absorb it from the surrounding soil.
They absorb it from water through their pores.

Explanation:

They break down the plants and animals they eat

this is because, plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere to grow in the process of photosynthesis, then consumers obtain their food from plants hence obtaining carbon

the solute can move "downhill," from regions of higher to lower concentration, relying on the specificity of the protein carrier to pass through the membrane. this process is called passive transport or facilitated diffusion, and does not require energy.