4.2 Energy Flow
4.2 Energy Flow
4.2 Energy Flow
1
4.2 U1 Most ecosystems rely on a supply of energy from sunlight.
4.2 U2 Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon
compounds by photosynthesis
Organisms in most ecosystems get their energy from the sun, though
consumers get it indirectly by feeding
A food chain shows a linear sequence of organisms, starting with a producer and
ending with a predator, that feed on each other.
There are between 2-5 organisms in a food chain, but not more
Arrows show the flow of energy between organisms.
2
4.2 U4 Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration
is used in living organisms and converted to heat
Cell respiration is the conversion of chemical energy into a form that cells
can use
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But once the energy becomes heat, organisms cannot convert it to any other
form of energy.
3
4.2 U6 Heat is lost from ecosystems
Heat moves from warmer areas to colder areas, so the heat is lost to the
environment
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Energy is lost:
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4
Problem: The production of a rainforest is 2.56 X 105 KJm-2yr-1.
Construct a pyramid of energy, assuming that 10% of energy is passed
on to each trophic level
Why are food chains and biomass limited by energy loss between trophic
levels?