Question

Which of the following best describes the flow of energy through a food chain?

a. Some food chains have only consumers.
b. Animals can make the energy they need.
c. Energy flows from producers to consumers.
d. Energy in animals is passed to plants.

Answer 1

Energy in a food chain flows from producers, such as plants, to consumers, such as herbivores and carnivores, with decomposers recycling matter but not energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer that best describes the flow of energy through a food chain is: c. Energy flows from producers to consumers.

In a typical food chain, energy and nutrients move through various levels starting from the original source, which is often sunlight assimilated by plants through photosynthesis. This energy then flows to primary consumers (herbivores) that eat the plants. Subsequently, it moves to secondary consumers, or carnivores, that consume the herbivores. Finally, when these organisms die, decomposers break down the matter, returning nutrients to the soil but without reusing the energy as it is dissipated as heat. This process illustrates the single pathway—plants to herbivores to carnivores to decomposers— through which energy is transferred in an ecosystem.

Answer 2

c. Energy flows from producers to consumer s.