Remember in all ecosystems: Energy flows- one direction Matter (nutrients) cycles

What is Energy? (physics) the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs; "energy can take a wide variety of forms" Work: When a force acts to move an object, we say that work was done on the object

Thermodynamics is the study of energy. First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy and matter in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that "in all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state." This is also commonly referred to a entropy. A watchspring-driven watch will run until the potential energy in the spring is converted, and not again until energy is reapplied to the spring to rewind it. A car that has run out of gas will not run again until you walk 10 miles to a gas station and refuel the car.

Types of energy in an ecosystem? Light energy Chemical energy Heat Which has the highest quality of energy?/ Lowest?

What happens to the amount of energy flowing through this food chain?

Nutrient cycles

The carbon cycle Fig. 54.17 Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Fig. 54.18 Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Phosphorus cycle Fig. 54.19 Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings