Lesson 1: Transfer Of Energy

Question 1

what is the definition of a community?

Answer 1

A group of populations living and interacting in a particular area.

Question 2

what is the definition of ecosystem?

Answer 2

A community and its abiotic environment.

Question 3

what is the definition of abiotic factors?

Answer 3

Non-living factors

Question 4

what is the definition of biotic factors?

Answer 4

Living factors

Question 5

what is the definition of matter?

Answer 5

anything that occupies space and has mass.

Question 6

what is the definition of energy?

Answer 6

the ability to do work

Question 7

what are three organic compounds?

Answer 7

carbohydrates, fats and proteins

Question 8

what is the definition of decomposers?

Answer 8

Organisms that break down detritus, recycling matter into the soil and air.

Question 9

what is the definition of a trophic level?

Answer 9

The stage in a food chain at which an organism feeds.

Question 10

What are the three types of systems?

Answer 10

open, close, isolated

Question 11

What is an open system?

Answer 11

energy and matter can be exchanged with the surroundings.

Question 12

What is an closed system?

Answer 12

energy can be exchanged with the surroundings but not matter

Question 13

What is an example of a closed ecosystem?

Answer 13

mesocosms

Question 14

what is an isolated system?

Answer 14

neither matter nor energy can be exchanged with the surroundings

Question 15

what is the role of sunlight in ecosystems?

Answer 15

producers convert light energy to chemical energy, which is transferred through the food chain.

Question 16

What do food chains show?

Answer 16

The feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem

Question 17

What do the arrows in a food chain represent?

Answer 17

The direction of energy flow

Question 18

What do food webs show?

Answer 18

how several food chains within an ecosystem are connected.

Question 19

what is the percentage of energy transferred between each trophic level?

Answer 19

10-20%

Question 20

What can energy loss be due to?

Answer 20

heat, growth, inedible parts, death

Question 21

Does biomass increase or decrease as we go up the food chain?

Answer 21

decrease

Question 22

what is the definition of autotrophs?

Answer 22

Organisms that produce their own organic compounds

Question 23

what is the definition of heterotrophs?

Answer 23

Organisms that obtain organic compounds by feeding on others

Question 24

What are three examples of autotrophs?

Answer 24

most plants, some bacteria + algae

Question 25

What are three examples of heterotrophs?

Answer 25

animals, fungi + some bacteria

Question 26

What are photoautotrophs?

Answer 26

Use sunlight to synthesize organic compounds

Question 27

what are some three examples of photo-autotrophs?

Answer 27

plants, algae + certain bacteria

Question 28

what are chemotrophs?

Answer 28

Use chemical energy to make organic compounds.

Question 29

what are mixotrophs?

Answer 29

organisms that can feed both autotrophically and heterotrophically

Question 30

In what ways can heterotrophs obtain their nutrients?

Answer 30

ingesting Endocytosis Releasing enzymes to break down food + absorbing through skin

Question 31

What is endocytosis when heterotrophs obtain their nutrients?

Answer 31

they rely on their host to break down food and then absorb the nutrients through skin/cuticle.

Question 32

What is detritus?

Answer 32

dead organic material

Question 33

What are detrivores?

Answer 33

Feed on detritus via internal digestion.

Question 34

what are saprotrophs?

Answer 34

Feed on detritus via external digestion.

Question 35

What do pyramids of numbers show?

Answer 35

The number of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain

Question 36

What do pyramids of energy show?

Answer 36

Show energy contained in biomass at each trophic level

Question 37

What is the template unit used in pyramids of energy?

Answer 37

energy, per unit are, per year. Example: kJ m⁻² y⁻¹

Question 38

What is the equation used to measure biomass at each trophic level?

Answer 38

biomass of individual organisms × number of organisms

Question 39

What is fresh biomass?

Answer 39

amount of matter including water

Question 40

What is dry biomass?

Answer 40

amount of matter excluding water

Question 41

What are the factors that can affect primary production?

Answer 41

temperature, rainfall, soil nutrients and abundance of sunlight

Question 42

What is gross primary production (GPP)?

Answer 42

Total energy captured by producers.

Question 43

What is net primary production (NPP)?

Answer 43

GPP minus respiration losses (NPP = GPP - R).

Question 44

What is gross secondary productivity (GSP)?

Answer 44

Total biomass assimilated by heterotrophs.

Question 45

What is net secondary productivity (NSP)?

Answer 45

GSP minus respiration losses (NSP = GSP - R).

Question 46

What is a characteristic of carbon dioxide?

Answer 46

Heavier than other atmospheric compounds

Question 47

How is coal formed?

Answer 47

when peat gets covered in sediments and compressed and heated over millions of years.

Question 48

what are Reservoirs/sinks?

Answer 48

Places where carbon accumulates

Question 49

What are two examples of reservoirs?

Answer 49

fossil fuels and peat

Question 50

what are fluxes in the carbon cycle?

Answer 50

Processes moving carbon between reservoirs

Question 51

What is one example of a flux?

Answer 51

combustion