Identify any TRUE statements regarding the movement of energy and other substances within, or passing through, an ecosystem. Select ALL that apply:

Question

Group of answer choices

Mineral nutrients (chemicals) are recycled.

Energy is recycled.

When an organism consumes food, most of the energy in that food is released into the surrounding environment as heat.

Decomposers are able to break down dead matter and release usable energy into the soil for producers to use.

Answer 1

Let's evaluate the statements one by one:

1. Mineral nutrients (chemicals) are recycled.
   TRUE - Nutrients cycle through ecosystems. Decomposers break down dead matter, returning minerals and nutrients to the soil, which can then be taken up by producers.

2. Energy is recycled.
   FALSE - Energy flows through ecosystems and is not recycled. It enters the ecosystem through sunlight (in the case of photosystems) and exits as heat after being passed through various trophic levels.

3. When an organism consumes food, most of the energy in that food is released into the surrounding environment as heat.
   TRUE - During metabolism, a significant portion of the energy from consumed food is lost as heat, consistent with the second law of thermodynamics.

4. Decomposers are able to break down dead matter and release usable energy into the soil for producers to use.
   FALSE - Decomposers break down dead matter and recycle nutrients back into the soil, but they do not release usable energy. They facilitate the cycling of nutrients so that producers can use them, but energy itself is not released into the soil.

Based on this analysis, the TRUE statements are:

• Mineral nutrients (chemicals) are recycled.
• When an organism consumes food, most of the energy in that food is released into the surrounding environment as heat.