Matter and Energy Flow

Students must analyze the flow of matter and energy through trophic levels using various models, including food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids

AND

Describe the flow of matter through the carbon and nitrogen cycles and explain the consequences of disrupting these cycles

Matter and Energy Flow

B.12(C) analyze the flow of matter and energy through trophic levels using various models, including food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids FOR LEAD INTO: E.7(B) calculate birth rates and exponential growth of populations

​Understanding Energy Flow

​EQ: How does energy flow from the sun through all living things?

Energy moves from the bottom to the top of an energy pyramid up the trophic levels.

• 90% of energy is lost as heat.

• 10% of energy moves up.

• You can move the decimal for each level to calculate.

  • i.e. 1000-->100-->10-->1

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​Energy pyramids

Multiple Choice

The producer level has 100,000J of energy. How much energy is at the Secondary Consumer level?

• 10,000J

• 1,000J

• 100J

• 10J

Multiple Choice

The producer level has 100,000J of energy. How much energy is at the Tertiary Consumer level?

• 10,000J

• 1,000J

• 100J

• 10J

Carbon doesn't just cycle through photosynthesis and respiration.

It also cycles through:

• CO₂ emissions from factories to the atmosphere

• Death of organisms to soil

• Fossil fuels buried underground

Carbon Cycle

Multiple Select

Carbon moves through the biosphere by... (check all that apply:)

• Photosynthesis

• Respiration

• Factory emissions

• Decaying organisms

• Fossil Fuels

Nitrogen goes into the atmosphere by...

• Denitrifying bacteria

• Water cycle

Nitrogen is fixed into the soil by...

• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• Plant and animal decay by decomposers

• Lightning

• Water cycle

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Nitrogen Cycle

Multiple Select

Nitrogen is fixed into the soil by... (Select all that apply)

• Lightning

• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• decaying organisms via decomposers

• Water cycle