Question

The relationship between the amount of energy available for use and the amount of entropy in a food chain differs between trophic levels. Why would the amount of entropy increase from one trophic level to another in a food chain or energy pyramid?

Answer 1

Answer:

Energy is lost at each tropic level as heat and serves to increase entropy.

Explanation:

The energy flow through food chain and food webs follow the second law of thermodynamics. It states that process of energy transfer is not perfect and leads to production of less usable energy than the initial energy.  At each tropic level, only 10 % energy is passed to the next level and rest 90% is lost as heat. Therefore, energy transfer through food chains always ends up with lesser usable energy. The energy lost to the environment in form of heat tends to increase the entropy of the system. The higher the tropic level, the more the heat available to increase entropy.

Answer 2

B. energy is lost at each level as heat, which increases randomization