18. Explain why food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy but the cycling of matter.(1 point)

Responses

The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.
The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.

The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.

The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.

The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.

1 answer

The correct response is:

The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.

Explanation: In food webs and energy pyramids, energy flows in one direction—from the sun to producers and then through various consumers—illustrating the transfer of energy through an ecosystem. Energy is not recycled; it dissipates as heat, so it is continually replenished by the sun. In contrast, matter (such as nutrients) cycles within ecosystems; it is reused and recycled among different organisms and compartments of the ecosystem. Thus, while energy flow is unidirectional and requires continual input from the sun, matter is part of a closed loop system that can be cycled through various forms and organisms.