energy transfers Flashcards
(9 cards)
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.
