Energy Flow in an Ecosystem (EFE)

Front

What are autotrophs?

Back

Organisms that produce their own food using sunlight or chemical energy, such as plants and some bacteria.

Front

Do autotrophs need to carry out cellular respiration?

Back

Yes, they do. They need to release energy stored in food.

Front

What is potential energy?

Back

Energy stored in an object due to its position, arrangement, or state.

Front

What is the role of a consumer in an ecosystem?

Back

To consume other organisms for nutrients and energy.

Front

What is cellular respiration?

Back

A process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Front

What is needed for cellular respiration to occur?

Back

Oxygen and a food source such as glucose.

Front

What is an ecological pyramid?

Back

A graphical representation showing the distribution of energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Front

What are decomposers?

Back

Organisms that break down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Front

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass, while a food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains.

Front

What is biomass?

Back

The total mass of living matter within a given area or volume, often used to measure the energy available in an ecosystem.