Final answer:
The Sun is the primary source of energy for ecosystems, with producers like plants converting solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. The law of conservation of energy states that as organisms consume others, energy is transformed but not destroyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sun is indeed the primary source of energy for ecosystems. It emits light and heat that kickstart the process of photosynthesis in producers such as plants, which convert solar energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. When an organism obtains nutrients by feeding on other organisms within the ecosystem, energy is transferred and transformed, but it is not destroyed. This crucial concept in energy transfer is enshrined in the scientific principle known as the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. Therefore, as energy flows from producers to consumers and then to other organisms in the food chain, it changes form but the total amount of energy remains the same within the ecosystem.