Topic 4.2: Energy flow
Essential idea:
- Ecosystems require a continuous supply of energy to fuel life processes and to replace energy lost as heat.
4.2U1: Most ecosystems rely on a supply of energy from sunlight.
4.2U2: Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by photosynthesis.
4.2U3: Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by means of feeding.
4.2U4: Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration is used in living organisms and converted to heat.
4.2U5: Living organisms cannot convert heat to other forms of energy.
4.2U6: Heat is lost from ecosystems.
4.2U7: Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and the biomass of higher trophic levels.
4.2Skill 1: Quantitative representations of energy flow using pyramids of energy.
4.2U2: Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by photosynthesis.
4.2U3: Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by means of feeding.
4.2U4: Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration is used in living organisms and converted to heat.
4.2U5: Living organisms cannot convert heat to other forms of energy.
4.2U6: Heat is lost from ecosystems.
4.2U7: Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and the biomass of higher trophic levels.
4.2Skill 1: Quantitative representations of energy flow using pyramids of energy.