Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Grade 7 · Science · Ecology · Alaska, USA
Lesson Summary
Trace how energy moves through food chains and food webs from producers to consumers.
Explanation
Energy enters most ecosystems as sunlight, which producers (like plants) convert into food through photosynthesis. Consumers get energy by eating producers or other consumers. A food chain shows one path of energy flow, while a food web shows many connected paths. At each level, about 90% of energy is used for life processes or lost as heat, so only about 10% is passed to the next level. This is why there are usually fewer top predators than prey animals.
Practice Questions
Q1: Why are there usually fewer hawks than rabbits in an ecosystem?
Answer: Only about 10% of energy passes from one level to the next, so there is less energy available to support top predators like hawks compared to prey like rabbits.
Q2: What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
Answer: A food chain shows a single path of energy transfer, while a food web shows many overlapping food chains and how organisms are connected in multiple ways.
Q3: Where does most of the energy in an ecosystem originally come from?
Answer: Most energy comes from the sun. Producers like plants capture sunlight and convert it to chemical energy through photosynthesis.
People Also Ask
What is Energy Flow in Ecosystems in Grade 7 Science?+
Energy Flow in Ecosystems is a lesson in the Ecology chapter of Grade 7 Science. It is part of the Alaska, USA school curriculum and covers key concepts that students need to understand at this level.
What grade level covers Energy Flow in Ecosystems?+
Energy Flow in Ecosystems is taught in Grade 7 as part of the Science curriculum in Alaska, USA.
How can I help my child with Ecology in Science?+
Start with the lesson summary and explanation on this page. Practice the questions provided, then use TutorTom for personalized, step-by-step help with Ecology topics.