Biology Unit 9 - Energy and Matter

Questions and Answers

What is photosynthesis?

The process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as glucose.

What is chlorophyll?

A green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants, algae, and some bacteria that absorbs light energy to carry out photosynthesis.

What is cellular respiration?

A process used by many organisms to break down food molecules in the presence of oxygen to create energy known as ATP.

How is energy defined in biological terms?

Energy is defined as the ability to do work, which can be thought of as the ability to cause some kind of change. Signup and view all the answers

What is matter?

Anything that has mass and takes up space. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Law of Conservation of Energy state?

The law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be changed from one form to another. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Law of Conservation of Mass?

Mass is neither created nor destroyed in chemical reactions, meaning the mass of any one element at the beginning of a reaction will equal the mass of that element at the end of the reaction. Signup and view all the answers

What is an energy pyramid?

A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one trophic level to another in a food web comparing the energy used by producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, etc. Signup and view all the answers

What is the carbon cycle?

The movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back, the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Photosynthesis

Plants and some organisms utilize light energy to transform water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbohydrates like glucose.

Chlorophyll

This green pigment is crucial for photosynthesis, located in the chloroplasts of plants, algae, and some bacteria, as it absorbs light energy.

Cellular Respiration

Organisms perform this process to decompose food molecules with oxygen, resulting in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), an essential energy carrier.

Energy

Defined as the ability to perform work, especially in biological contexts, where it causes changes in systems or organisms.

Matter

Refers to anything that possesses mass and occupies physical space, forming the basis of all physical substances.

The Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or annihilated, but it can be transformed from one form to another, maintaining a constant total energy amount in a closed system.

The Law of Conservation of Mass

In chemical reactions, mass remains constant; the initial mass of elements equals the mass of those elements after the reaction concludes.

Energy Pyramid

A graphical representation illustrating the energy transfer across trophic levels in an ecosystem, showing the diminishing energy available as one moves from producers to apex consumers.

Carbon Cycle

Describes the cyclical movement of carbon between living organisms and the nonliving environment, facilitating the organic circulation of carbon in nature, from the atmosphere into organisms and back.

Description

This quiz covers key concepts from Unit 9, focusing on the cycling of energy and matter in biological systems. Important terms like photosynthesis and chlorophyll are defined to enhance understanding of these fundamental processes. Test your knowledge of how energy and matter interact within ecosystems.