Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

"Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space"

ELEMENTS are the simplest substances found on Earth and only contain one type of ATOM.

More than one atom bonded together is a MOLECULE, and if two or more different types of atoms are bonded together they make a COMPOUND

"Energy is the ability to do work"

It may exist in potential, kinetic, thermal, electrical, chemical, nuclear, or other various forms.

Energy does NOT have mass or take up space like matter does.

If you can't put it in a jar and take it out of the room, it's probably "energy".

Organisms Need Sources of Matter and Energy

• There are living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) sources of matter and energy in an ecosystem.

What is an ecosystem?

• All of the living and nonliving things in a given area.

• Ecosystems can vary in size from huge forest or lake to a rotting log or space under a rock.

List as many biotic factors as you can.

List as many abiotic factors as you can.

What do you think determines the size of an organism's ecosystem?

Multiple Select

Which of the following are sources of abiotic matter for organisms?

• Soil

• Animals

• Sunlight

• Plants

• Air

Multiple Select

Which of the following are sources of both matter and energy for organisms?

• sunlight

• heat

• plants

• animals

How does matter move through ecosystems?

• Matter can't be CREATED or DESTROYED, but it gets RECYCLED through an ecosystem.

• ATOMS from one form of MATTER become the building blocks for other forms.

How does energy move in ecosystems?

• All of life's functions require ENERGY.

• The main source of energy for most of life on Earth is the SUN.

• Energy does not cycle; it FLOWS THROUGH an ecosystem.

• Energy can't be CREATED or DESTROYED, but it can change FORMS.

Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy

Different organisms have different ways of OBTAINING the matter and energy they need.

Trophic Levels are the FEEDING levels within an ecosystem.

• They model the flow of MATTER and ENERGY through an ecosystem.

Producers

• Living things that use matter and energy from the environment to make their own food molecules.

• Most producers are photosynthetic.

Arctic ecosystems depend on photosynthesis by algae.

Consumers

• Organisms that get their matter and energy by consuming other organisms.

• They're classified by the types of food they eat.

Herbivores: Eat only producers (plant materials)

Carnivores: Eat other animals. They are generally predators.

Omnivores: Eat both producers and consumers.

Detritovores: Consume the remains of other organisms. AKA "Decomposers".

Multiple Choice

Which organism is a carnivore?

• Springtail

• Ground Beetle

• Earthworm

• Slug

Multiple Choice

Which organism is a producer?

• Limpet

• Octopus

• Zooplankton

• Phytoplankton

Multiple Choice

Which organism is a decomposer?

• Snowy Owl

• Arctic Hare

• Blow Fly

• Fleas

Energy and Matter are Conserved

• Energy is "limitless", but matter is limited.

• ENERGY drives the flow of MATTER through different parts of the environment.

• How does the growth of this tree demonstrate this fact?

Open Ended

In four to five steps, explain how matter is recycled and energy flows in the life of a tree.

Multiple Select

What happens to a leaf after a snail eats it? Select all that apply.

• The snail's digestive system breaks apart the leave's molecules to get energy.

• The snail uses the matter in the leaf to produce its own food.

• The snail uses the matter in the leaf to grow.

• The snail uses energy from the sun to make food.

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

Why do you think the starch molecules shown here are good sources of energy for an organism?

• The many bonds in the starch molecule store energy.

• The atoms in the starch molecule are made of matter.

• Starch is the only molecule that stores energy.

• A starch molecule is made of more than one type of atom.

Multiple Choice

Which is in the correct order from smallest to largest (most simple to most complex)?

• compound, element, mixture

• atom, molecule, mixture

• compound, atom, molecule

Multiple Choice

The simplest unit of a substance that maintains the properties of that substance.

• atom

• compound

• mixture

• liquid

Multiple Choice

A mixture that is uneven and can easily be separated into different substances.

• Heterogeneous mixture

• Homogeneous mixture

Multiple Choice

If you have two or more different types of atoms bonded together to form a new substance, you have a(n)

• atom

• element

• compound

• mixture

Multiple Choice

When two or more atoms of the same element are bonded together they form a

• mixture

• molecule

• compound

• atom