Final answer:
Solar energy is the primary driving force behind the cycling of Earth's materials and living organisms, with the sun providing the energy that fuels ecosystem processes. This energy is converted into chemical energy by organisms, then released as heat, while matter is conserved and recycled through biogeochemical cycles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The driving force of energy that cycles Earth's materials and living organisms is primarily the sun. Solar energy enters ecosystems as sunlight, which is then converted into chemical energy by photosynthetic organisms. This energy is used by living beings to grow and function before eventually being released as heat during energy transfers between trophic levels.
Unlike energy, matter such as water, carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur is conserved and recycled within the ecosystem through various biogeochemical cycles. These nutrient cycles are crucial as they ensure the continuous availability of essential elements for life. In addition to solar energy, geologic processes like weathering, erosion, and the movement of continental plates, as well as gravitational forces driving the water cycle, play significant roles in the recycling of these elements.