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Questions and Answers
What is the primary source of energy for most living organisms?
What is the primary source of energy for most living organisms?
Which of the following is NOT a role of producers in an ecosystem?
Which of the following is NOT a role of producers in an ecosystem?
What is the primary difference between photosynthesis and cellular respiration?
What is the primary difference between photosynthesis and cellular respiration?
What is the relationship between albedo and the amount of sunlight absorbed by a surface?
What is the relationship between albedo and the amount of sunlight absorbed by a surface?
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Which of the following is an example of a primary consumer?
Which of the following is an example of a primary consumer?
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How does the second law of thermodynamics apply to energy transfer in ecosystems?
How does the second law of thermodynamics apply to energy transfer in ecosystems?
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Which process is used by organisms living near deep-sea vents to obtain energy, given the absence of sunlight?
Which process is used by organisms living near deep-sea vents to obtain energy, given the absence of sunlight?
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What does the equation 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2 represent?
What does the equation 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2 represent?
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Study Notes
Energy in Organisms
- All living things need energy for growth, movement, and survival
- Energy is released through cellular respiration (breaking down carbohydrates) or fermentation (without oxygen)
- Producers (plants) use photosynthesis to capture sunlight energy and create food (carbohydrates)
- Consumers (animals) obtain energy by consuming other organisms.
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
- Photosynthesis: Plants capture sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose (food) and oxygen
- Equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2
- Cellular Respiration: Organisms break down food (like glucose) with oxygen, releasing energy
- Equation: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Producers and Consumers
- Producers (autotrophs): Make their own food using sunlight
- Consumers (heterotrophs): Obtain energy by eating producers or other consumers.
- Primary Consumers: Herbivores that eat producers (e.g., insects, deer).
- Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat primary consumers and/or producers (e.g., frogs, small birds).
- Tertiary Consumers: Apex predators that eat secondary consumers (e.g., hawks, lions).
Energy Transfer
- Most of the sun's energy is reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere
- Only 1-2% of the sun's energy is captured by producers to make food.
Albedo
- Albedo is a measure of how much sunlight is reflected by a surface
- Surfaces with high albedo (e.g., snow, ice) reflect more sunlight, while those with low albedo (e.g., oceans, forests) reflect less
Chemosynthesis
- Some organisms (e.g., bacteria near deep-sea vents) use chemosynthesis to obtain energy from chemicals instead of sunlight
- Chemosynthesis is similar to photosynthesis, but uses chemicals as the energy source.
First and Second Law of Thermodynamics
- First Law: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed
- Second Law: Energy transformations are never 100% efficient, some energy is lost as heat (making the process less useful over time)
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Description
Explore the vital roles of energy in living organisms through our quiz on photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the differentiation between producers and consumers. Understand how energy is captured and utilized in biological systems, from plants to animals.
