Which term describes a single step in energy transfer from one organism to another?

Which term describes a single step in energy transfer from one organism to another?

• A. Food chain
• B. Food web
• C. Nutrient cycle
• D. Biogeochemical cycle

Answer: (A)

Energy moves through ecosystems as one organism eats another. A single step in that transfer is the moment energy passes from the organism that is being eaten to the organism that eats it—that is, one link in a food chain. A food chain shows a linear sequence of who eats whom, so each link represents one transfer of energy. The other terms describe broader patterns: a food web is a network of many feeding relationships, while nutrient cycles and biogeochemical cycles track the movement of elements rather than energy.

Energy moves through ecosystems as one organism eats another. A single step in that transfer is the moment energy passes from the organism that is being eaten to the organism that eats it—that is, one link in a food chain. A food chain shows a linear sequence of who eats whom, so each link represents one transfer of energy. The other terms describe broader patterns: a food web is a network of many feeding relationships, while nutrient cycles and biogeochemical cycles track the movement of elements rather than energy.