How is energy transferred throughout a food chain?

Question

Ivy Acosta · Accepted Answer

Through the metabolism of organisms consuming other organisms

By means of the chemical process of photosynthesis, plants obtain energy from the sun. First-level consumers consume the plants, transforming the organic molecules produced by photosynthesis into mass and energy for themselves. Second-level consumers consume the first-level consumers, transforming the mass and organic molecules of the first-level consumers into mass and energy for themselves. Until there is no more mass or energy to support an additional layer in the food chain, this process is repeated.

William Albracht · Answer

Energy is transferred in a food chain by rule of tens due to a loss of energy from heat transference.

Energy is transferred in a food chain by rule of tens. Let's use this example:

The sun transfers energy to the grass by radiation, which they turn into energy through photosynthesis. They have 100% of the energy in a food chain.

Next, crickets and rabbits eat, and only get 10% of that energy because of energy transfers through heat. They must eat enough to get to 100%, so they eat as much as they can, but don't get it as easily as grass.

Mice, foxes, and birds then predate on the crickets and rabbits. They must eat more than the crickets and rabbits because of losses of energy in heat and few calories in their prey. So, they only get 1% of the energy.

Finally, the owl, at the top of the food chain, must eat enough mice or other animals to get his 100%, too. He only gets 0.1% because of heat lost and few calories, just like the other animals.

Source:
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Oliver Antoine · Answer

undefined Energy is transferred throughout a food chain through the process of consumption and digestion. Producers, such as plants, capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert it into chemical energy stored in organic molecules. Herbivores consume these plants, transferring some of the energy from the plants into their bodies. Carnivores then eat the herbivores, transferring energy from the herbivores into their own bodies. This process continues up the food chain, with energy being transferred from one organism to another through consumption. However, each transfer of energy is not 100% efficient, with some energy being lost as heat or through metabolic processes.