1. Matter and Energy Flow Study Guide
Name:
Date: Period:
Matter and Energy Flow Study Guide
Explain why the flow of matter is often represented by a cyclical diagram.
Explain why matter is able to cycle.
Explain why cycles of matter are described as “bio geo” chemical cycles.
Identify the driving force behind biogeochemical cycles (what causes matter to cycle?)
Give two examples of chemical reactions that power biogeochemical cycles.
Explain why carbon must cycle through an ecosystem.
List 3 nonliving forms of carbon, and identify their locations in an ecosystem.
In the carbon cycle, identify the process that moves carbon atoms from the atmosphere to plants.
Explain how heterotrophs obtain carbon atoms.
Identify the process that moves carbon atoms from a heterotroph back into the atmosphere.
Explain how atmospheric CO2 becomes CH2O3.
Explain how marine organisms transform carbon when they absorb carbonic acid.
Predict what will happen to a heap of shells (CaCO3) after they are buried by sediment at the bottom of the ocean.
circular diagram
carbonic acid into shell.

2. causing Earth’s temperature to rise
List two process that move carbon from the ground (coal) into the atmosphere.
Identify two carbon “sinks” in the carbon cycle, and explain why they are referred to as “sinks.”
List 3 ways that carbon atoms can enter the atmosphere.
List 3 ways that carbon atoms can enter the ground.
Currently, more coal is being burned than ever before in human history. Explain how that is affecting the oceans, and defend your answer.
Currently, forests are being cut down in a process called deforestation. Explain how that is affecting the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, and defend your answer.
Explain how “fossil fuel formation” and “fossil fuel burning” differ in terms of the direction they move carbon atoms.
Explain why nitrogen atoms must cycle through an ecosystem.
List two nonliving forms of nitrogen, and identify their locations in an ecosystem.
Explain why N2 gas cannot be used directly by living things.
Describe the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle.
Other than nitrogen-fixing bacteria, identify another way that autotrophs obtain NH3.
Explain how nitrogen atoms are transferred from autotrophs to heterotrophs.
Explain how nitrogen atoms return to the atmosphere. `
Explain why that is
causing Earth’s temperature to rise

3. Explain how energy differs from matter in terms of how it flows through an ecosystem.
Explain why energy is unable to cycle.
Describe how energy is transferred in a food chain.
Explain why autotrophs are also known as “producers.”
Explain why producers are always found at the base (start) of a food chain.
Identify the main producers
In a land-based food chain:
In a marine food chain:
Explain why heterotrophs are also known as “consumers.”
State how each type of consumer obtains energy:
Herbivore:
Carnivore:
Omnivore:
Decomposer:
Put the following terms in order according to their role in a food chain: herbivore, decomposer, producer, carnivore.
Circle the first-level consumer in the food chain below.
38. A drought causes the number of carrots in a ecosystem to decrease. According to the food chain, predict how this will affect the lion population, even though lions do not eat carrots.

4. 39. Explain what a “ trophic level” is.
40. Identify the number of trophic levels in the food chain below.
41. Explain why food chains cannot have more than 4 or 5 trophic levels.
42. Explain how a food web differs from a food chain.
43. Explain why food webs are more realistic than food chains.
44. Identify the first-level consumers shown in the food web below.
45. List the carnivores in the food web below.
46. A virus causes the number of grasshoppers in an ecosystem to decrease. According to the food web above, explain why this might not affect the hawk population.