Food Chains and Food Webs Quiz

Food Chains and Food Webs

• Food Chain: A linear sequence illustrating energy transfer from producers to consumers. Example: Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk.
• Food Web: A complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.
• Trophic Levels: Different feeding positions in a food chain.
  • Producers (Autotrophs): Convert solar energy to chemical energy (e.g., plants).
  • Primary Consumers: Herbivores that eat producers (e.g., rabbits).
  • Secondary Consumers: Carnivores/omnivores that eat herbivores (e.g., foxes).
  • Tertiary Consumers: Top predators (e.g., eagles).
• Producers: Organisms that make their own food (e.g., plants, algae).
• Consumers:
  • Herbivores: Eat only plants (e.g., deer).
  • Carnivores: Eat only animals (e.g., lions).
  • Omnivores: Eat both plants and animals (e.g., humans).

Sustainability

• Definition: The ability to maintain ecological processes over time.
• Concepts:
  • Biodiversity is crucial for resilience.
  • Avoid overexploitation of resources.
  • Balance environmental, economic, and social factors.

Nitrogen, Water, and Carbon Cycles

• Nitrogen Cycle: Involves nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and decomposition. Key terms: Ammonia, nitrate, nitrogen gas.
• Water Cycle: Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, and transpiration.
• Carbon Cycle: Photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, and decomposition move carbon through the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, and lithosphere.

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

• Photosynthesis: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.
• Cellular Respiration: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Energy.
• Relationship: Photosynthesis stores energy; respiration releases it.

Tolerance and Limiting Factors

• Tolerance Range: The range of abiotic factors an organism can survive in.
• Optimal Range: Conditions where organisms thrive.
• Limiting Factors: Abiotic or biotic factors restricting population growth (e.g., temperature, water availability).

Matter and Mixtures

• Solution: Homogeneous mixture (e.g., saltwater).
• Compound: Two or more elements chemically combined (e.g., H₂O).
• Element: Pure substance of one type of atom (e.g., oxygen).
• Mechanical Mixture: Heterogeneous mixture (e.g., salad).

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Physical Properties: Characteristics observed without changing substance identity (e.g., density, color, boiling point).
• Chemical Properties: Describe reactivity (e.g., flammability, reactivity with acid).

Changes in Matter

• Physical Change: Changes state or appearance (e.g., melting ice).
• Chemical Change: Produces new substances (e.g., rusting).

Density Problems

• Formula: Density = Mass ÷ Volume.

Unusual Behavior of Water

• High specific heat capacity.
• Expands when frozen (less dense as a solid).

Metals, Non-Metals, and Metalloids

• Metals: Shiny, conductive, malleable (e.g., iron).
• Non-Metals: Dull, brittle, poor conductors (e.g., sulfur).
• Metalloids: Properties of both (e.g., silicon).

Periodic Table

• Families: Alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens, noble gases.
• Trends:
  • Atomic size decreases across a period.
  • Reactivity varies (metals more reactive down a group).
• Atomic Number: Number of protons.
• Mass Number: Protons + Neutrons.

Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams

• Steps:
  • Identify protons, neutrons, electrons.
  • Draw nucleus with protons and neutrons.
  • Add electrons in shells.

Molecular vs. Ionic Compounds

• Molecular: Nonmetals sharing electrons (e.g., H₂O).
• Ionic: Metals transfer electrons to nonmetals (e.g., NaCl).

Hydrogen Peroxide

• Decomposes into: Water (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂).
• Storage: Cool, dark conditions to prevent breakdown.

Law of Electric Charges

• Like charges repel, opposite charges attract.

Static vs. Current Electricity

• Static: Buildup of charges.
• Current: Flow of electrons in a circuit.

Charging Methods

• Friction: Rubbing materials transfer electrons.
• Conduction: Direct contact transfers charge.
• Induction: Nearby charged object induces charge.
• Grounding: Removing excess charge by connecting to Earth.

Circuits

• Components: Resistor, switch, battery, bulb.
• Symbols: Learn Chapter 13.1 symbols.
• Series vs. Parallel Circuits:
  • Series: One path; shared voltage.
  • Parallel: Multiple paths; equal voltage.

Efficiency and Energy

• Efficiency Formula: (Useful energy output ÷ Total energy input) × 100%.
• Electrical Power: P = IV (Power = Current × Voltage).
• Cost of Energy: Energy (kWh) = Power (kW) × Time (h).

Celestial Objects

• Meteoroid: Small rock in space.
• Meteor: Burns in Earth’s atmosphere.
• Meteorite: Reaches Earth’s surface.
• Asteroid: Rock orbiting the Sun.
• Comet: Ice and dust, tail forms near the Sun.

Planets

• Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
• Terrestrial: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.

Earth’s Motion

• Rotation: Earth spins on axis (day/night).
• Revolution: Earth orbits Sun (year).

Satellites

• Natural: Moon.
• Artificial: Communication, weather, GPS.

Other Concepts

• Redshift: Light stretches as objects move away.
• Polaris: North Star; aligns with Earth’s axis.
• Eclipses:
  • Solar Eclipse: Moon blocks Sun.
  • Lunar Eclipse: Earth blocks sunlight from Moon.

Test your knowledge on food chains and food webs with this quiz. Explore the different trophic levels, from producers to top predators, and understand the interconnected nature of ecosystems. This quiz will help reinforce your understanding of energy transfer in ecological systems.