chapter 3

Question 1

Ecological energetics

Answer 1

Is the study of the ways that solar energy becomes fixed by plants and other
photosynthetic organisms and is then available to be transferred to other species.

Question 2

Earth is the only place that there is….

Answer 2

a biological fixation of energy, principally of solar radiation by photosynthetic
organisms.

Question 3

What is biomass?

Answer 3

Weight accumulated by an organism or an ecosystem

Question 4

What is productivity

Answer 4

Autotrophs: rate of energy fixation
Organisms and ecosystems: rate at which biomass is accumulating

Question 5

What kind of system are organisms and ecosystems in with respect
to energy?

Answer 5

It is an open system. Energy flows into the ecosystem, some is fixed and then eventually discarded (heat)

Question 6

What is the key resource in ecosystems that supports organisms?

Answer 6

Solar radiation

Question 7

How is the amount of solar energy fixed?

Answer 7

By autotrophs: Self-feeding organisms (absorb solar energy)
- some energy used for plants to grow others is stored

Question 8

What is the process of photosynthesis?

Answer 8

Solar electromagnetic energy is absorbed b chlorophyll and used to join carbon dioxide and water to form a sugar hat stores this potential energy. Generates oxygen as a waste.

• it is the heart of energy transfer

Question 9

What is the formula for photosynthesis

Answer 9

Sunlight + 6 Co2 +6h2o __ C6 H12 O6 + 6O2

Question 10

Talk to me about Heterotrophs.

Answer 10

• They accumulate biomass by relying on autotrophs as a primary food source.
• consist of feeding off biomass of other organisms
• herbivory, carnivores, omnivores deterivores

Question 11

What is energy?

Answer 11

Capacity of a body’s system to perform work

Question 12

What are the 3 fundamental types of energy?

Answer 12

Electromagnetic kinetic and potential

Question 13

What is the 1st law of thermodynamics?

Answer 13

Energy can be transformed but not created or destroyed
- In a system, input of energy must = output

Question 14

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 14

Energy transformations can occur spontaneously only under conditions in which entropy of the universe is increased
- Energy transformations are not totally efficient (they also take energy)
- life requires incessant input of energy (the sun)

Question 15

Why does the amount of solar energy varie with latitudes

Answer 15

At higher latitudes, the angle of solar radiation is smaller, causing energy to be spread over a larger area of the surface and cooler temperatures.

Question 16

How do greenhouse gasses work?

Answer 16

• Carbon dioxide h2o and meth absorb some of the infrared radiation and reradiate in all directions
  Allows earth to have thermal blanket

Question 17

global warming

Answer 17

increase the atmospheric concentration of gasses
cause of fossil fules dforestation and agriculture

Question 18

What are the side effects of global warming?

Answer 18

• Increased rate of decomposition
• more drought
• stronger storms
• more productivity
• Destroyed habitats
• Fish move further north
• run out of land and water

Question 19

What are autotrophs

Answer 19

Primary producers providing biological foundation
- not all plants

Question 20

What are photoautotrophs?

Answer 20

Need sunlight
- responsible for almost all productivity in biosphere
- Chlorophyll captures photons and is most sensitive to blue and red wavelengths but reflects green thats why plants apear green.

Question 21

What are chemoautotrophs

Answer 21

• need heat-no sunlight

Question 22

What percentage of solar energy is reflected into space? What percent is absorbed by earth? What percent is absorbed by atmosphere?

Answer 22

30%
45%
The atmosphere absorbs about 25 percent of the incident solar radiation

Question 23

Energy transfer in food web

Answer 23

-entropy increases whenever there is a transfer of energy in food web
- part of energy = used for growth
- part = degraded into heat (which increases entropy)

Question 24

Trophic structures

Answer 24

90% difference in productivity in each trophic level
- Autotroph
- Herbivore: (10% of autotrophs)
- carnivores: (10% of herbivore)
- Inherent in 2ed law of thermodynamics