A food chain starts with the primary energy source, usually the sun

or boiling-hot deep sea vents. The next link in the chain is an

organism that makes its own food from the primary energy source an example is photosynthetic plants (grass) that make their own
food from sunlight (using a process called photosynthesis) and
chemosynthetic bacteria.
Grass can't hunt or shop for food, so they simply use sunlight and
water to make it. Grass starts food chains. They are called
producers.

Next come organisms (sheep) that eat the autotrophs;

Sheep are called herbivores or primary consumers. Sheep
get their energy from eating grass. Carnivores, like wolves
only eat meat. Omnivores eat plants and animals. Anything
that eats another plant or animal to get energy is called a
consumer.

The food chain ends with dead animals that fungi

and bacteria use as food. These organisms break
down the complex organic compounds which then
return to the soil so that plants can use them
again. That's how the food chain starts all over
again.

The food chain provides the energy that all

living things need in order to survive. If there
is a break in the link in the chain, then all
organisms above this link are in danger of
extinction.