Food Chains

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A food chain is a sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

Front

What is a producer in a food chain?

Back

A producer is an organism, usually a plant, that can make its own food through photosynthesis and provides energy for consumers.

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers. They are usually herbivores, like grasshoppers or rabbits.

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What is a secondary consumer?

Back

A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers. They can be carnivores or omnivores, like snakes or humans.

Front

What is a tertiary consumer?

Back

A tertiary consumer is an organism that eats secondary consumers. They are often at the top of the food chain, like hawks or lions.

Front

How does energy transfer in a food chain?

Back

Energy transfers from one level to the next, but only about 10% of the energy is passed on to the next level; the rest is lost as heat.

Front

What role do decomposers play in a food chain?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers.

Front

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

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A food chain is a linear sequence of energy flow, while a food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains.

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Why do primary consumers have more energy than secondary consumers?

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Primary consumers have more energy because they are closer to the producers, which capture energy from the sun.

Front

What is an example of a simple food chain?

Back

Grass -> Grasshopper -> Frog -> Snake.