C1 Energy And Its Flow Review

Question 1

Describe energy

Answer 1

-Energy is used by all organisms to move, grow, reproduce, and to maintain body function
-energy is stored in molecules through the process of photosynthesis
-the suns energy is used to convert CO2 into carbohydrates (glucose)
-energy is released by cellular respiration
-carbohydrates are broken down and energy is released and used by an organism

Question 2

What are producers?

Answer 2

-Organisms able to carry out processes that enable them to store energy
-also called autotroph

Question 3

What are consumers?

Answer 3

-Organisms that must consume either producers or other consumers
-cannot produce their own food
-also called heterotrophs

Question 4

What is the first and second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 4

1. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Only converted from one form to another.
2. No transfer/conversion is 100% or completely efficient. Some of it is always lost to waste (waste is usually heat but can also be light or sound)

Question 5

How many joules (J) of energy reaches the earth from the sun?

Answer 5

22
-10 J

1. 30% is reflected (snow, grass, clouds)
2. 19% is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere
3. 51% reaches earth’s surface

Question 6

Describe albedo

Answer 6

-Albedo describes the amount of light reflected off a surface
-light colours have high albedos (80-90%) e.g. snow, clouds
-dark colors have low albedos (<25%) e.g. soil, asphalt, roofs

Question 7

What is solar radiation?

Answer 7

-A combination of many forms of energy at different wavelengths including light, infrared, (IR, heat) ultraviolet, (UV) etc
-interacts with oceans, atmosphere, and land mass to maintain temperature on earth that can support life
-most incoming radiation is reflected but some is absorbed

Question 8

How much of the suns energy is used by producers for photosynthesis?

Answer 8

-1%

Question 9

Describe chemosynthesis

Answer 9

-Life is found in the deep ocean and beneath soil even though no light reaches these areas
-bacteria use a process called chemosynthesis to survive
-instead of oxygen as a byproduct, sulfur and nitrogen compounds are byproducts