5 Energy In Biomass Flashcards
Where’s does the main source of energy come from?
Radiation from the sun ( solar or light energy )
What is a pyramid of biomass? 2
- the mass of living material at each stage of a food chain is less than the previous stage
- the biomass at each stage can be drawn to scale into a biomass
What happens to the material and energy in the biomass of organisms at each stage of a food chain?
The amounts of biomass and energy et less at each successive stage in a food chain
Where does biomass come from?
- The sun’s light energy is captured and used by green plants during photosynthesis to make new biomass
How is some energy transferred to the environment? 2
- it is lost in waste materials
- by heating to the surroundings
Why do things decay?
- because they are broken down (digested) by microorganisms
What conditions make materials decay faster? 3
Warm, moist conditions
Also sometimes oxygen
Why is the process of decay so important?
The decay processes release substances that plants need to grow
What is the carbon cycle in nature?
The constant cycling of carbon in nature
Which processes in the carbon cycle remove carbon in the carbon cycle?
Removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis
Which processes in the carbon cycle return carbon in the carbon cycle? 2
Respiration and combustion
Why should we recycle kitchen and garden waste? 3
- reducing landfill
- reducing the production of methane
- recycling the minerals and nutrients in the organic material
How can we investigate the most effective way to recycle this organic waste?
Composting organic waste can be done in a variety of different ways
In plants and algae what is this carbon from carbon dioxide used for? 3
Proteins
Fats
Carbohydrates
What is the biomass of plants made up of? 3
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fats
How is carbon passed on to animals?
When it is eaten by the animal
Why is the amount of energy in the pyramid of biomass less at each stage?2
- not all organisms at one stage are eaten by the stage above
- some material and energy taken in is passed out as waste by the organism
What are the waste products of decomposes? 3
Carbon dioxide
Water
Nutrients
How is biomass used up when it is eaten?3
- mostly for respiration to release energy for other functions
- movement ( as the muscles contract they use up lots of energy )
- heat ( muscle contraction and the chemical reactions produce heat which is given off to the surroundings
What are the two main processes that return carbon back to the atmosphere? 2
Combustion
Respiration
Why is it important to recycle organic kitchen or garden waste? 3
- if buried at a landfill site the lack of oxygen prevents adequate decomposition
- instead it leads to the formation of smelly slime which polluted rivers and streams
- it releases methane that contributes to the greenhouse effect
How can organic waste be recycled?2
- by keeping compost the decomposes release the nutrients
- so they can be returned to the soil for future generations for plants and prevent further pollution a
One advantage of growing herbicide resistant crops?
It means that you can kill the weeds without killing the crops
Explain how microorganisms help to recycle materials? 3
They decay/decompose the material
They release nutrients by producing waste that plants use to grow
And respire to release carbon dioxide
