What is a Food Chain?

The video explains how energy from the sun is transferred through living organisms via food chains. Producers convert solar energy into sugars through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain. Herbivores consume plants, and carnivores eat herbivores, but energy is lost at each stage. This energy loss is depicted in a pyramid of biomass, showing fewer organisms at higher levels. Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead organisms back into the environment, completing the cycle. Ultimately, nearly all energy in living things originates from the sun.

What is the primary role of producers in a food chain?

• To decompose dead matter

• To harness energy from the sun

• To act as scavengers

• To consume other organisms

Which of the following best describes the energy transfer from herbivores to carnivores?

• Energy is fully transferred without any loss

• Energy is transferred equally at all stages

• Most energy is lost, with only a small fraction passed on

• Energy is doubled at each stage

What does a pyramid of biomass illustrate?

• The decreasing amount of life supported at each level of the food chain

• The total energy captured by herbivores

• The energy flow from the sun to producers

• The number of producers in an ecosystem

How do decomposers contribute to the ecosystem?

• By consuming producers

• By recycling nutrients back into the environment

• By increasing the energy available to carnivores

• By preventing energy loss in the food chain

What is the ultimate source of energy for nearly all living things?

• Carnivores

• Decomposers

• The sun

• Herbivores