Question

"Living systems follow the Law of Conservation of Energy. Which of the following statements does NOT summarize a key idea of this law?

A - During an ordinary chemical reaction no energy is created.
B - Energy can be changed in form during a chemical reaction.
C - During an ordinary chemical reaction no energy is destroyed.
D - Energy can be destroyed during an ordinary chemical reaction."

Answer 1

The statement that does NOT summarize a key idea of the Law of Conservation of Energy is D - Energy can be destroyed during an ordinary chemical reaction. This contradicts the law which states energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the Law of Conservation of Energy in living systems, it's important to recognize that energy cannot be created or destroyed in ordinary chemical reactions—it can only change forms. The statement that "During an ordinary chemical reaction no energy is destroyed" and the one stating that "Energy can be changed in form during a chemical reaction" both correctly summarize key ideas of this law. However, the statement "Energy can be destroyed during an ordinary chemical reaction" does not align with this law, and is therefore not correct. The correct answer is D - Energy can be destroyed during an ordinary chemical reaction.