Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Food Chains & Food Webs Study Guide

Total questions: 74

Worksheet time: 42mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Fill in the blank: A ________ is a linear sequence of organisms where energy is transferred from one to the next.

a)

Food Chain

b)

Habitat

c)

Ecosystem

d)

Population

2.

Fill in the blank: A ________ is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.

a)

Food Web

b)

Food Chain

c)

Habitat

d)

Population

3.

Fill in the blank: ________ are organisms (usually plants or algae) that make their own food using photosynthesis.

a)

Producers

b)

Consumers

c)

Decomposers

d)

Herbivores

4.

Fill in the blank: ________ are herbivores that eat producers.

a)

Primary Consumers

b)

Decomposers

c)

Secondary Consumers

d)

Tertiary Consumers

5.

Fill in the blank: ________ are carnivores/omnivores that eat herbivores.

a)

Secondary Consumers

b)

Producers

c)

Decomposers

d)

Primary Consumers

6.

Fill in the blank: ________ are carnivores/omnivores that eat secondary consumers.

a)

Tertiary Consumers

b)

Producers

c)

Decomposers

d)

Primary Consumers

7.

Fill in the blank: ________ are top predators with no natural enemies.

a)

Apex Predators

b)

Herbivores

c)

Decomposers

d)

Primary Consumers

8.

Fill in the blank: ________ break down dead material into nutrients (fungi, bacteria, worms).

a)

Decomposers

b)

Producers

c)

Consumers

d)

Predators

9.

What do scavengers eat?

a)

Only plants

b)

Only animals

c)

Dead animals but do not fully decompose them

d)

Both plants and animals

10.

Which of the following is a herbivore?

a)

Eats only animals

b)

Eats only plants

c)

Eats both plants and animals

d)

Eats dead animals

11.

Which feeding type eats both plants and animals?

a)

Herbivores

b)

Carnivores

c)

Omnivores

d)

Scavengers

12.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use _______, carbon dioxide, and water to make glucose and release oxygen.

a)

sunlight

b)

oxygen

c)

nitrogen

d)

chlorophyll

13.

What is the correct equation for photosynthesis?

a)

CO₂ + H₂O + sunlight → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂

b)

C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + ATP

c)

O₂ + H₂O → CO₂ + C₆H₁₂O₆

d)

CO₂ + O₂ → H₂O + C₆H₁₂O₆

14.

Cellular respiration is the process by which organisms break down glucose in the presence of _______ to release energy (ATP).

a)

oxygen

b)

carbon dioxide

c)

nitrogen

d)

hydrogen

15.

What is the correct equation for cellular respiration?

a)

CO₂ + H₂O + sunlight → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂

b)

C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + ATP

c)

O₂ + H₂O → CO₂ + C₆H₁₂O₆

d)

CO₂ + O₂ → H₂O + C₆H₁₂O₆

16.

Match the trophic level to the correct organism type:

a)

1st trophic level

1.

Producers

b)

2nd trophic level

2.

Primary consumers

c)

3rd trophic level

3.

Secondary consumers

d)

4th trophic level

4.

Tertiary consumers

e)

Highest trophic level

5.

Apex predators

17.

What is a trophic level?

a)

A) A type of decomposer

b)

B) The position an organism has in a food chain or food web

c)

C) The amount of energy available in an ecosystem

d)

D) The process of photosynthesis

18.

Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis are called ___________.

a)

Producers

b)

Consumers

c)

Decomposers

d)

Herbivores

19.

Which process allows plants to make glucose from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide?

a)

Respiration

b)

Photosynthesis

c)

Fermentation

d)

Decomposition

20.

A primary consumer is an organism that eats:

a)

Other carnivores

b)

Producers (plants)

c)

Decomposers

d)

Scavengers

21.

Organisms that eat both plants and animals are called ___________.

a)

Omnivores

b)

Herbivores

c)

Carnivores

d)

Detritivores

22.

Which of the following is a decomposer?

a)

Mushroom

b)

Vulture

c)

Grasshopper

d)

Snake

23.

Scavengers differ from decomposers because scavengers:

a)

Recycle nutrients into the soil

b)

Break down matter at a microscopic level

c)

Eat dead organisms but don't fully decompose them

d)

Create their own food

24.

Which type of organism is at the top of a food chain with no natural predators?

a)

Apex Predator

b)

Herbivore

c)

Decomposer

d)

Primary Consumer

25.

Only about _____% of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next.

a)

10%

b)

50%

c)

25%

d)

90%

26.

All living things — plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria — perform which process to release energy?

a)

Cellular respiration

b)

Photosynthesis

c)

Fermentation

d)

Transpiration

27.

Which of the following is a decomposer?

a)

Vulture

b)

Mushroom

28.

Which of the following is a producer?

a)

Vulture

b)

Grass

c)

Crab

d)

Hawk

29.

Which of the following is a scavenger?

a)

Bacteria

b)

Worm

c)

Fungi

d)

Vulture

30.

Decomposers eat (break down):

a)

Living plants and animals

b)

Rocks and minerals

c)

Dead plants, dead animals, and waste

d)

Sunlight and water

31.

4. Worms, fungi, and bacteria are all examples of ___________.

a)

Decomposers

b)

Producers

c)

Carnivores

d)

Herbivores

32.

A raccoon finds and eats garbage scraps. This makes it a:

a)

Producer

b)

Decomposer

c)

Scavenger

d)

Herbivore

33.

A grasshopper eats grass. It is a:

a)

Producer

b)

Primary Consumer

c)

Secondary Consumer

d)

Decomposer

34.

A rabbit eats lettuce. The rabbit is a:

a)

Primary Consumer

b)

Producer

c)

Secondary Consumer

35.

A snake eats a frog that ate a grasshopper. The snake is a:

a)

Primary Consumer

b)

Secondary Consumer

c)

Tertiary Consumer

d)

Producer

36.

A hawk eats a snake, which ate a frog, which ate a grasshopper. The hawk is a:

a)

Secondary Consumer

b)

Tertiary Consumer

c)

Apex Predator

d)

Producer

37.

15. A vulture feeding on a dead deer is an example of a ___________.

a)

Scavenger

b)

Producer

c)

Herbivore

d)

Parasite

38.

16. Mushrooms growing on a fallen tree are examples of ___________.

a)

Decomposers

b)

Producers

c)

Herbivores

d)

Carnivores

39.

In a desert food chain: cactus → rabbit → coyote. If the cactus has 5,000 J of energy, how much does the coyote receive?

a)

500 J

b)

50 J

c)

5 J

d)

5,000 J

40.

In an ocean food chain: phytoplankton → zooplankton → small fish → shark. If the zooplankton has 2,000 J, how much energy does the shark receive?

a)

2,000 J

b)

200 J

c)

20 J

d)

2 J

41.

In a forest food chain: grass → deer → wolf. If the grass has 12,000 J, how much energy is available to the wolf?

a)

120 J

b)

1,200 J

c)

12 J

d)

12,000 J

42.

In a pond food chain: algae → insect larvae → frog → heron. If the insect larvae have 600 J, how much energy does the heron get?

a)

6 J

b)

60 J

c)

600 J

d)

0.6 J

43.

In a savanna food chain: grass → zebra → lion. If the zebra receives 1,000 J, how much energy did the grass originally have?

a)

100 J

b)

1,000 J

c)

10,000 J

d)

100,000 J

44.

In an Arctic food chain: phytoplankton → krill → fish → seal → polar bear. If the fish has 800 J, how much energy does the polar bear get?

a)

80 J

b)

8 J

c)

0.8 J

d)

0.08 J

45.

In a swamp food chain: algae → snail → fish → alligator. If the algae has 20,000 J, how much does the alligator receive?

a)

200 J

b)

2,000 J

c)

20 J

d)

20,000 J

46.

According to the energy pyramid, how much energy does Grass (Producer) have?

a)

10,000 J

b)

1,000 J

c)

100 J

d)

10 J

47.

According to the energy pyramid, how much energy does Grasshopper (Primary Consumer) have?

a)

1,000 J

b)

10,000 J

c)

100 J

d)

10 J

48.

According to the energy pyramid, how much energy does Frog (Secondary Consumer) have?

a)

100 J

b)

10 J

c)

1 J

d)

1000 J

49.

According to the energy pyramid, how much energy does Snake (Tertiary Consumer) have?

a)

10 J

b)

1 J

c)

100 J

d)

1000 J

50.

According to the energy pyramid, how much energy does Hawk (Apex Predator) have?

a)

1 J

b)

10 J

c)

100 J

d)

1000 J

51.

Explain the flow of energy in this food chain (who passes energy to who).

a)

The hawk gives energy to the snake. The snake gives energy to the mouse. The mouse gives energy to the grasshopper who gives energy to the grass.

b)

The mouse gives energy to the hawk. The snake gives energy to the grasshopper. The grass gives energy to the snake.

c)

The grass gives energy to the grasshopper. The grasshopper gives energy to the mouse. The mouse gives energy to the snake who gives energy to the hawk.

52.
The deer, grasshopper, and bird are all examples of which type of consumers on this food pyramid?
a)
decomposers
b)
omnivores
c)
carnivore
d)
herbivore
53.

What do lizards eat?

a)

mice

b)

grasshoppers

c)

hawks

d)

grass

54.
Where does the energy start in this food chain?
a)
Plant
b)
Sun
c)
Deer
d)
Wolf
55.
Short Answer on Test: Why will having fewer insects affect the mice?
a)
The mice will not have enough insects to eat.
b)
It will not affect the mice.
c)
The mice will have too many insects to eat.
56.

If a disease strikes the snake population in the food chain shown, what will be the initial effect on the populations of hawks and rabbits?

a)

The populations of hawks and rabbits will decrease.

b)

The populations of hawks and rabbits will increase.

c)

The population of hawks will increase. The population of rabbits will decrease.

d)

The population of hawks will decrease. The population of rabbits will increase.

57.

In the food chain Carrots--->Rabbit--->Fox. The fox is a

a)

Producer

b)

First level consumer

c)

Second level consumer

d)

Decomposer

58.

The diagram represents a simple food chain. The arrows in the diagram indicate the  

a)


return of chemical substances to the
environment

b)

order of importance of the various organisms.  

c)

direction of energy flow through a series of organisms

d)

direction in which organisms move in the environment. 

59.
What does a food chain represent?
a)
How all living organisms within a habitat are connected.
b)
All of the things that a particular animal eats.
c)
How plants create their own food.
d)
A single path of energy transfer within a habitat.
60.
What is this called?
a)
Food Web
b)
Food Chain
c)
Abiotic Factors
d)
Biotic Factors
61.
The parts of the food chain in the picture are out of order.  Which picture should be first in the food chain shown?
a)
snake
b)
sun
c)
carrot
d)
rabbit
62.

True/False
Food webs show you everything an animal eats. Food chains show you one thing.

a)

True

b)

False

63.

In the stable food chain shown here, what would you expect to happen initially if you were to suddenly double the population of rabbits?

a)

The populations of the other three species would also increase.

b)

The populations of the other three species would decrease.

c)

The grass population would decrease. The snake population and hawk population would increase.

d)

The grass population and hawk population would decrease. The snake population would increase.

64.

What is the first organism in a food chain?

a)

Herbivore

b)

Carnivore

c)

Producer

65.
The parts of the food chain in the picture are out of order.  Which picture should be last in the food chain shown?
a)
snake
b)
sun
c)
carrot
d)
rabbit
66.

The animals at the top of a food chain are always ___.

a)

Prey

b)

Predator

c)

Producer

67.

Look at the food chain. How do foxes get energy?

a)

from eating rabbits

b)

from eating grass

c)

from the sun

d)

from eating other foxes

68.

What is missing in this simple food chain?

a)

Consumer

b)

Producer

c)

Decomposer

d)

Herbivore

69.

What is eating the grasshopper? Choose all that apply.

a)

Owls

b)

Birds

c)

grains

70.
Use the diagram to answer the question.
The Mayfly is a food source for which 3 organisms?
a)
Frog, Dragon Fly and snake
b)
Frog, trout and dragon fly
c)
Frog, salamander and trout
d)
Frog and phytoplankton
71.

Animal that feeds only on the flesh of other animals.

a)

Herbivore

b)

Omnivore

c)

Carnivore

72.

Which of the following is a herbivore?

a)

shrew

b)

hawk

c)

frog

d)

cricket

73.

A food chain in an ecosystem includes blackberry bushes, deer, and wolves.

• Deer eat blackberries.

• Wolves eat deer.

If the population of wolves decreases, how will this affect the population of blackberry bushes?

a)

It will decrease because there will be fewer deer.

b)

It will increase because there will be fewer deer.

c)

It will decrease because there will be more deer.

d)

It will increase because there will be more deer.

74.

A food chain is different than a food web. A food chain...

a)

How all living organisms within a habitat are connected.

b)

All of the things that a particular animal eats

c)

How plants create their own food.

d)

A single path of energy transfer within a habitat.