Considering the sec ond law of thermodynamics , would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of ( secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Question

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Answer 1

Textbook Question

Chapter 55, Problem 55.1CR

Considering the second law of thermodynamics, would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of⁽ secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

03:16

Students have asked these similar questions

What are biofertilizers and mention the significance

PCBs and River Otters: Otters in Washington State’s Green-Duwamish River have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their livers. PCBs can bind to the estrogen receptors in animals and disrupt the endocrine system of these otters. The PCBs seem to increase the estrogen to androgen ratio, skewing the ratio toward too much estrogen. How would increased estrogen affect the river otter population? Based on your reading of the materials in this unit, what factors can affect fertility in humans? Explain how each of the factors affecting human fertility that you described can disrupt the human endocrine system to affect reproduction.

Other than oil and alcohol, are there other liquids you could compare to water (that are liquid at room temperature)? How is water unique compared to these other liquids? What follow-up experiment would you like to do, and how would you relate it to your life?

Answer 2

Textbook Question

Chapter 55, Problem 55.1CR

Considering the second law of thermodynamics, would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of⁽ secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

03:16

Answer 3

Textbook Question

Chapter 55, Problem 55.1CR

Considering the second law of thermodynamics, would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of⁽ secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

03:16

Answer 4

Textbook Question

Chapter 55, Problem 55.1CR

Considering the second law of thermodynamics, would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of⁽ secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

03:16

Answer 5

Textbook Question

Answer 6

Textbook Question

Answer 7

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Answer 8

Expert Solution & Answer

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Answer 9

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 10

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 11

Summary Introduction

To examine: Whether the primary producers or the secondary producers would have greater or lesser biomass production in an ecosystem, considering the 2^nd law of thermodynamics.

Introduction: The second law of thermodynamics states that “no energy transfer is 100% efficient; some energy is dispersed as heat”. In a living system such as in a cell, the second law of thermodynamics states that the capture and storage or use of energy is never 100% by the living cells. The energy is lost as disordered and metabolic heat energy.

Answer 12

Explanation of Solution

As per the 2^nd law of thermodynamics, the useable energy decreases all the time. Only 10% of the original energy is useable for the successive trophic level, whereas 90% is lost in the form of heat. When the secondary producers or the primary consumers eat a primary producer (grass or plants), it is not all of the energy that is stored in the plant gets converted to useable energy. This is because during energy transfer, the energy is always lost due to entropy.

Therefore, it suggests that for maintaining its life functions, an organism must use much energy. The lost energy in the form of heat by an organism is no longer useable for them as well as for other organisms.

In the case of secondary producers, the biomass will always be less when compared to the primary producers because of 10% rule, and the successive energy transfer will always be less than that of the primary producers.

Answer 13

Conclusion

The typical biomass of the primary producers will always be greater than that of the secondary producers.

Answer 14

Ch. 55.1 - Why is the transfer of energy in an ecosystem...Ch. 55.1 - WHAT IF? You are studying nitrogen cycling on the...Ch. 55.1 - MAKE CONNECTIONS Use the second law of...Ch. 55.2 - Why is only a small portion of the solar energy...Ch. 55.2 - How can ecologists experimentally determine the...Ch. 55.2 - Prob. 3CC Ch. 55.2 - MAKE CONNECTIONS Explain how nitrogen and...Ch. 55.3 - If an insect that eats plant seeds containing 100...Ch. 55.3 - Prob. 2CC Ch. 55.3 - Prob. 3CC

Considering the sec ond law of thermodynamics , would you cxpect the typical biomass of primary producers in an ecosystem to be greater than or less than the biomass of ( secondary producers in the system? Explain your reasoning.

Concept explainers

Videos

Explanation of Solution

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Chapter 55 Solutions

Additional Science Textbook Solutions