Food chains and energy transfer

Question 1

What is biomass

Answer 1

The total mass of living material in a specific area at a given time

Question 2

In terms of how organisms obtain their energy and nutrients, what 3 groups can we classify organisms into + description?

Answer 2

Producers - photosynthetic organisms
Consumers - Obtain energy by feeding on other organisms
Saprobionts - Break down material of dead organisms into simple ones

Question 3

What is a food chain?

Answer 3

A feeding relationship where producers are eaten by primary consumers, secondary etc

Each stage in this chain is referred to as a trophic level

Question 4

What is a food web?

Answer 4

A variety of food chains combined due to the fact that organisms do not rely on a singular food source

Question 5

When measuring biomass, what must the sample be and why?

Answer 5

Dry - water may affect measurement
Small - unethical to kill a large number of organisms

Question 6

What is biomass measured in?

Answer 6

gm^-3

Question 7

How can biomass be measured?

Answer 7

Using calorimetry

Question 8

How does bomb calorimetry work?

Answer 8

Dry material is weighed and transferred to sealed container called a bomb
Material is burnt in pure oxygen
Bomb is surrounded by a water bath
Calculate energy released by changing temp