All Flashcards
Define solar energy.
The ultimate source of energy for almost all ecosystems.
Define trophic levels.
The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, representing the transfer of energy.
Define producers.
Organisms (like plants) that convert solar energy into chemical energy.
Define photosynthesis.
The process by which producers convert solar energy into glucose.
Define herbivores.
Organisms that eat producers (plants).
Define carnivores.
Organisms that eat herbivores or other carnivores.
Define decomposers.
Organisms that break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients.
Define cellular respiration.
The process that converts glucose into usable chemical energy (ATP).
Define entropy.
A measure of disorder in a system; it increases with energy transformations.
Define chemical energy.
Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds.
What are the steps of energy transfer in a food chain?
Producers capture solar energy, consumers eat producers, energy is transferred up trophic levels, energy is lost as heat at each step.
Describe the process of photosynthesis.
Plants use sunlight, water, and CO2 to produce glucose and oxygen.
Describe the process of cellular respiration.
Organisms break down glucose to release energy (ATP), producing CO2 and water.
What is solar energy?
The ultimate source of energy for almost all ecosystems.
What are producers?
Organisms that convert solar energy into chemical energy (glucose) through photosynthesis.
What are herbivores?
Organisms that eat producers.
What are carnivores?
Organisms that eat herbivores or other carnivores.
What are decomposers?
Organisms that break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients.
What is chemical energy?
The form of energy that moves through the trophic pyramid.
What is cellular respiration?
The process that converts glucose into usable chemical energy (ATP) and releases thermal energy.
What is entropy?
A measure of disorder in a system; it increases every time energy is transformed.
What is the First Law of Thermodynamics?
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed.
What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
Every time energy is transformed, entropy (disorder) increases.
What is the 10% rule?
Only about 10% of energy from one trophic level moves up to the next.
Define Trophic Level
Each step in a food chain or food web.