Question

Though the process of photosynthesis, light energy from the Sun was transformed into chemical energy in the form of sugar within a strawberry plant The strawberries were then eaten by a bird and the sugars were converted into other essential molecules, such as proteins or fats. When the bird produced waste bacteria in the soil decomposed the waste into elements, such as carbon and cgen which were recycled back into the ecosystem In this example, matter and energy changed forms and locations as they flowed through the ecosystem. What else is true?

Answer 1

Answer:

This simply is  an illustration of the laws of thermodynamics the first and second laws.

The first law which is also known as law of conservation of energy (as First Law of Thermodynamics.) in relation to energy flow in an ecosystem  states that energy can  neither be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another, and total energy  of the system is constant. Thus as  light energy from sun transformed to chemical in strawberry, to  potential, chemical, kinetic, from one tropic levels to another,it is being  changed to different forms.The death of the  consumers, and the  breakdown by the decomposers returns the energy as inorganic forms back to the atmosphere to be reused.Thus although  the energy can be transformed from one form to another, but the total energy in  the food chain remain the same.

Based on the second law of thermodynamics,which states that in the course of transfer of energy from one tropic level to another in a food web of an ecosystem,some quantity of energy is lost as heat to the environments, which are irreversible. Thus as  light energy is converted to chemical in plants, some of these is lost as heat during respiration,growth as the chemical energy is used by the plants.As this moves to another tropic levels for bird as consumer, this is converted to heat during locomotion, excretion, respiration etc to the environments which are irrversible.

Thus in summary matter and energy may changed in  forms and location through ecosystem;

but the total energy and matter in the ecosytem remain the same, although some quantity of these  are lost as heat from one tropic level to another, but the total energy still remain the same.

Explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

c and d.

Explanation:

a.  the total amount of matter and energy increased.

b. the total amount of matter and energy remained the same.

c. matter and energy were lost each time they changed forms.

d. matter and energy were lost each time they changed locations,

As organisms feed within an ecosystem, energy flows from one trophic level to the other while matter is converted from one form to another.

However, less and less energy becomes available to support life as energy moves through the ecosystem from producers to consumers as a result of energy loss to the ecosystem. In addition, matters are also lost during conversion from one form to another.

Hence, matter and energy are lost each time they changed forms and locations.

Option c and d are correct.