Which statement about energy in an ecosystem is true?

Which statement about energy in an ecosystem is true?

• A. Energy is created by producers.
• B. Energy is recycled by decomposers without loss.
• C. Energy is released as heat and never used again.
• D. Energy flows from the sun to producers to consumers.

Answer: (D)

Energy flows through ecosystems from the sun to producers to consumers. Producers, like plants, capture sunlight and store that energy as chemical energy in their tissues. Consumers then obtain energy by eating those producers or other organisms. As energy moves through each step, organisms use part of it for life activities such as growth, movement, and keeping warm, and much is released as heat, so only a portion passes to the next level. Decomposers help recycle nutrients, but energy is still lost as heat each time it’s transformed. So the statement that energy flows from the sun to producers to consumers is the true description of how energy moves in an ecosystem.

Energy flows through ecosystems from the sun to producers to consumers. Producers, like plants, capture sunlight and store that energy as chemical energy in their tissues. Consumers then obtain energy by eating those producers or other organisms. As energy moves through each step, organisms use part of it for life activities such as growth, movement, and keeping warm, and much is released as heat, so only a portion passes to the next level. Decomposers help recycle nutrients, but energy is still lost as heat each time it’s transformed. So the statement that energy flows from the sun to producers to consumers is the true description of how energy moves in an ecosystem.