C4.2 Transfers of Energy and Matter

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the role of green plants in the transfer of energy within an ecosystem?

• They are primary consumers that eat other animals.

• They are decomposers that break down dead matter.

• They are producers that convert sunlight into chemical energy.

• They are predators at the top of the food chain.

Open Ended

Why is the transfer of energy and matter important for the stability of ecosystems?

Open Ended

How is the energy that is lost by each group of organisms in an ecosystem replaced?

Open Ended

What is the reason matter can be recycled in ecosystems but energy cannot?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best describes the role of sunlight in ecosystems?

• It is the principal source of energy that sustains most ecosystems.

• It is only used by decomposers.

• It is not involved in energy transfer.

• It is the main source of matter in ecosystems.

Open Ended

Explain how reductions in energy availability at each successive stage in food chains affect the number of trophic levels in ecosystems.

Multiple Select

Select all that apply: Which of the following are functions of autotrophs in ecosystems?

• Use external energy sources to synthesize carbon compounds from simple inorganic substances.

• Obtain carbon compounds from other organisms.

• Release energy by oxidation of carbon compounds in cell respiration.

• Accumulate carbon compounds in biomass.

Open Ended

Explain how the recycling of chemical elements in ecosystems supports the survival of living organisms.

Open Ended

Discuss the importance of the Keeling Curve in understanding the relationship between photosynthesis, respiration, and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Multiple Choice

Which process is responsible for the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during the combustion of fossil fuels?

• Photosynthesis

• Respiration

• Combustion

• Decomposition

Multiple Select

Which of the following are key terms related to transfers of energy and matter in ecosystems?

• Photosynthesis

• Food Chain

• Decomposers

• Keeling Curve

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the main difference between open and closed ecosystems?

• Open ecosystems allow both energy and matter to enter and exit, while closed ecosystems only allow energy to pass in and out.

• Open ecosystems only allow energy to enter and exit, while closed ecosystems allow both energy and matter to pass.

• Closed ecosystems allow both energy and matter to enter and exit, while open ecosystems only allow energy to pass.

• Open ecosystems do not exchange energy or matter with their surroundings.

Open Ended

What is one key concept you learned about the transfer of energy and matter in ecosystems, and how does it relate to the theme of interaction and interdependence?