While learning about energy pyramids at school, I really got to think how other animals get there energy through the consumption of other animals. While researching further I gained the knowledge of the following three facts: 1: For an ecosystem to function properly, energy must be available and must be able to transfer. If other animals including humans couldn't get that energy we would be very "weak."
2: The first and second law of thermodynamics come into play. The First Law states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be converted from one form to another. The Second Law states that everything is running downhill or, more formally, everything in the universe is going from a more organized state to a less organized one. In this case energy is transferred from one animal to another because the only way to get energy is by eating other animals who can provide themselves food.
3: A small percentage of the energy of autotrophs is actually used. For example, a flock of birds descends on a bush and eats its berries, but 98% of what is eaten gets "recycled" and other is waste or converted to energy. In addition, the bird becomes food for other organisms. The amount of energy transferred can vary depending on the animal.
I also learned a bit of information like;
*1**In an ecosystem, plants capture the sun's energy and use it to convert inorganic compounds into energy-rich organic compounds1.
*2**"Because of the 2nd law of energy, some energy is lost to the surroundings as heat. it is estimated that in going from one tropic level to the next, about 90 % of the energy is lost.In moving to the next tropic level, only 10 % of the original energy is available. By the third tropic level only 1% of the energy is available."
I find this unit to be very interesting. The way energy is transformed from one animal to another until the cycle starts all over again. Humans have to get a power drink at the supermarket, a soda, or Gatorade to keep ourselves going, while the animals wrestle for food. A car ride to the supermarket for our energy, and for animals it takes time, photosynthesis, laws of thermodynamics and if all of this were to stop, nature would almost come to an end. While we lose money and gas, the animals lose energy trying to get food and when the finally get to eat they might not even get the energy they need. Everything takes time in the world of nature and each and every little thing is very important!
You can check out these websites to learn more about energy pyramids:
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