energy transfers Flashcards
what is photosynthesis?
the process by which plants and other photoautotrophs transform light energy into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
what is the equation for photosynthesis?
carbon dioxide + water - glucose + oxygen
what is respiration?
the process by which energy is released from glucose so that other chemical processes need for survival can happen.
what is the equation for respiration?
glucose + oxygen - water + carbon dioxide + ATP (energy)
what is a food web?
a relationship between organisms at different trophic levels in an ecosystem is depicted as a food web. ( a series of interlocking food chain)
what is a food chain?
a series of organisms each dependant on the next as a source of food.
explain how energy is lost from the ecosystem before the producer trophic level.
- not all wavelengths of visible light can be absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.
- light may not be captured by chlorophyll inside a plant cell.
- energy is lost as heat during photosynthesis and respiration inside plant cells.
explain how energy is lost from the ecosystem at each consumer level.
only 10% of the energy stored in plants is transferred to primary consumers.
secondary and tertirary consumers transfer 10 - 20% of the energy available to them.
factors include:
- some energy is not extracted from food.
- some energy is lost in excretion products.
- energy is lost in maintaining a stable body temperature.
what is an energy pyramid?
the energy transfer across trophic levels of an ecosystem is represented as an energy pyramid. Only 10% of the energy is available at the next trophic level.
