LE4

Question 1

What do arrows in a food chain represent?

Answer 1

In a food chain, arrows indicate the flow of energy through an ecosystem.

Question 2

What happens to energy passing through a food chain?

Answer 2

At each step in a food chain 90% of energy is lost.

Question 3

Give three reasons as to why energy may be lost at levels of the food chain:

Answer 3

• undigested materials
• heat loss
• movement

Question 4

What percentage of energy is passed on in the food chain?

Answer 4

10%

Question 5

What is the energy passed on used for?

Answer 5

The energy passed on in a food chain is used for growth.

Question 6

Give 2 reasons for irregular shaped pyramid of numbers:

Answer 6

Pyramid with small base = large producer (for example, a tree)

Large top segment = pest species (for example fleas/ticks)

Question 7

What do pyramids of number show?

Answer 7

Pyramids of number show the number of organisms at each level of a food chain.

Question 8

What do pyramids of energy show?

Answer 8

Pyramids of energy show the energy available at each level of a food chain. They are always pyramid shaped!