When accounting for the fact that all systems are not fully closed, we considered the constant exchange of energy between living organisms and their environment. This exchange of energy plays a crucial role in maintaining the organization and complexity of living systems, and it allows for the continuous input of energy needed to sustain life processes.
The most challenging aspect of explaining the transfer of energy through living organisms was highlighting the interconnected nature of energy flow within ecosystems. It can be complex to describe how energy from the sun is captured by plants, transferred to herbivores, and eventually to carnivores, while also taking into account the role of decomposers in recycling nutrients.
Our answer is not the only right answer, as there are various perspectives and interpretations of how energy flows through living organisms. Different scientists may emphasize different aspects of energy transfer or focus on alternative mechanisms that contribute to the overall functioning of ecosystems. It is important to consider multiple viewpoints and evidence when discussing complex concepts like energy transfer in living systems.
this energy is actually stored in the plant; the rest is lost as heat.
The results obtained from the simulation support the original purpose of deepening understanding of thermodynamics and its application to real-world scenarios. The hypothesis that the calculations of enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy would provide insights into the behavior of chemical reactions was confirmed.
Systematic sources of error that could have affected the results include inaccuracies in temperature measurements, heat loss to the surroundings, and incomplete combustion in the bomb calorimeter. By being aware of these sources of error, users can take steps to minimize them in future experiments.
I learned the importance of considering both enthalpy and entropy in determining the spontaneity of a reaction, as well as the significance of Gibbs free energy in predicting reaction outcomes. These findings can be applied to other real-world situations such as designing efficient chemical processes, optimizing energy storage systems, and understanding the behavior of reactions in biological systems.
the energy from the sun that hits the plant is used by the plant. The rest of the solar energy that isn’t at the right wavelength for the plant is dissipated as heat or chlorophyll fluorescence.
This loss of energy that can be used for work is the second law of thermodynamics at work in living things. To prove that living organisms need a constant supply of energy to maintain their level of entropy, you can simply stop providing that organism with outside sources of energy. What happens to a plant when there is no more sunlight? What happens to an animal if you stop feeding it? The second law of thermodynamics holds true as the organism’s entropy increases when it eventually dies, and its cells decompose.
The second law of thermodynamics says that objects in a closed system will trend toward higher entropy, which means more disorder. But does evolution and the increasing complexity of organisms throughout time violate the second law? After all, entropy decreases when you think about the formation of macromolecules and cells, building up rather than breaking down. So, what is wrong with the argument that evolution doesn’t follow the second law of thermodynamics?
One key point that must be considered is the concept of a closed system. Within any closed system, entropy will increase, and energy transfer will reach an equilibrium. Animals and plants are not closed systems. Living organisms are constantly interacting with the environment around them. As a result, there is a flow of energy. For plants and other producers, the energy input is sunlight. For animals or consumers, energy is input when food is consumed.
Review your completed activities that are to be submitted to your teacher and consider the following:
How did you account for the fact that all systems are not fully closed when looking at the data and evidence presented?
What was the most difficult part about explaining the transfer of energy through living organisms?
Do you think your answer is the only right answer? Explain.
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