Name: entropy in food web energy flow
Uploaded: 2019-03-11T09:21:09.000Z
Duration: 53 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Alabama Course of Study Science

9-12

Biology

from-molecules-to-organisms-structures-and-processes

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

9-12.B.1.5

Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics can also be demonstrated within a classic food web. It states that entropy, the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed.

When primary producers receive energy from the sun and make food, a small amount is transformed into unusable heat energy, which is released along with oxygen into the environment.

While primary consumers are harvesting chemical energy from plants, they also release a small amount of heat energy along with carbon dioxide during metabolism.

Finally, at the predator level, only a fraction of the original energy harnessed from the sun is available to use. The released heat energy and other metabolic byproducts have now increased the system&#39;s entropy.

second law of thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. Each energy transfer results in a certain amount of energy that is lost&mdash;usually in the form of heat&mdash;that increases the disorder of the surroundings. This can also be demonstrated in a classic food web. Herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants and release heat and carbon dioxide into the environment. Carnivores harvest the chemical energy produced by herbivores&mdash;with only a fraction of it representing the original radiant energy from the sun&mdash;and also release heat energy with carbon dioxide into their surroundings. As a result, the heat energy and other metabolic by-products released at each stage of the food web have increased its entropy.

<h4>The Second Law of Thermodynamics</h4>

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. In every energy transfer, a certain amount of energy is lost in a form that is unusable&mdash;usually in the form of heat. This heat energy can temporarily increase the speed of molecules it encounters. As such, the more energy that a system loses to its surroundings, the less ordered and the more random it becomes.

Similar to the First Law of Thermodynamics, the Second Law of Thermodynamics can also be demonstrated within a classic food web. When primary producers, such as plants, receive energy from the sun and make food, a small amount is transformed into unusable heat energy and is released along with oxygen into the environment.

When primary consumers, like herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants, they also release a small amount of heat energy along with carbon dioxide during metabolism. Carnivores harvest the chemical energy produced by herbivores&mdash;with only a fraction of it representing the original radiant energy from the sun&mdash;and also release heat energy with carbon dioxide into their surroundings. Thus, the released heat energy and other metabolic by-products have increased the entropy within the food web.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. ...

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KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

entropy in food web energy flow

The Second Law of Thermodynamics explains why entropy increases as energy moves through a system. Entropy means the amount of disorder in a system. Each time energy is transferred or transformed, some energy is lost as unusable heat. That heat can raise the motion of nearby molecules for a short time and make the surroundings less ordered and more random.

This idea also appears in a food web. Primary producers, such as plants, take in energy from the sun and make food. During this process, some energy becomes unusable heat and is released into the environment with oxygen. When primary consumers, like herbivores, eat plants, they harvest chemical energy and also give off heat and carbon dioxide during metabolism.

Carnivores then use the chemical energy made by herbivores. Only a fraction of that energy still traces back to the original radiant energy from the sun. At each step, heat energy and other metabolic by-products are released into the surroundings. As a result, entropy increases across the food web.

Entropy in Food Web Energy Flow

what is metabolism?

Metabolism, Energy, and Cell Reactions

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in a cell. It includes anabolism, which builds molecules, and catabolism, which breaks them down. These reactions help cells manage energy and keep life processes running. Cells use metabolism to turn food into energy, make cell parts, and remove waste products. Food stores potential energy in the bonds between atoms. Catabolic pathways break large food molecules into smaller ones and release that energy. Anabolic pathways use that energy...

first law of thermodynamics

Energy Flow in a Food Web

Energy flow in a food web shows the First Law of Thermodynamics in action. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only change form as it moves through living things and the environment. Sunlight is the starting point. Plants capture radiant energy from the sun during photosynthesis and turn it into chemical energy stored in complex carbohydrates. At the same time, oxygen is released into the atmosphere. Herbivores eat the plants and use those sugars during digestion. The energy is...

The Second Law of Thermodynamics explains why entropy increases as energy moves through a system. Entropy means the amount of disorder in a system. Each time energy is transferred or transformed, some energy is lost as unusable heat. That heat can raise the motion of nearby molecules for a short time and make the surroundings less ordered and more random. This idea also appears in a food web. Primary producers, such as plants, take in energy from the sun and make food. During this process,...

kinetic energy

Motion as a Source of Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It appears when an object is moving and can do work or cause change. A waterfall is one clear example. Water behind a dam has potential energy, but when it rushes downward, that moving water has kinetic energy. When the water reaches the bottom and stops moving, its energy can become potential energy again. Kinetic energy also shows up in living systems. Plants absorb light particles, called photons, which move very fast and help create chemical energy...

potential energy

Stored Energy in Motion and Bonds

Stored energy in motion and bonds is called potential energy. It depends on the structure of an object or the position of matter in space. Raising a kettlebell changes its location and increases its potential energy. A stretched rubber band also stores potential energy, which can later change into kinetic energy. Chemical bonds between atoms hold another form of stored energy called chemical energy. These bonds involve attractive forces, and that energy can change into other forms during a...

free energy

Gibbs Free Energy in Chemical Reactions

Gibbs free energy is a measure of useful energy that can be taken from a chemical reaction to do work. It is written as G and named for scientist Gibbs, who discovered it. This energy is what remains after entropy is considered. A reaction can either take in energy or release it. Reactions that absorb energy are called endergonic reactions. Reactions that release energy are called exergonic reactions. The direction of energy flow helps show which type of reaction is happening. Plants carry...

activation energy

How Catalysts Lower Reaction Barriers

Activation energy is the minimum energy a chemical reaction needs to keep going. When the activation energy is higher, the reaction usually happens more slowly. Adding heat can speed the reaction because molecules move faster and collide more often. As reactants collide, bonds break and the reaction moves through an uphill phase. That step creates the transition state, which is an unstable, high-energy state of the reactants. After that, new bonds form, products appear, and free energy is...

hydrolysis of atp

ATP Breakdown and Energy Release

ATP breakdown releases energy for cell work. Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, can lose one or two phosphate groups when water is added. This hydrolysis reaction is exergonic, which means it releases energy that the cell can use. When one phosphate group is removed, ATP becomes ADP, or adenosine diphosphate. Inorganic phosphate is also released. ADP can then be hydrolyzed again to form AMP, or adenosine monophosphate, after a second phosphate group is removed. ATP has a clear structure. It is...

phosphorylation

Phosphorylation and Protein Control

Phosphorylation helps control how proteins work in cells. It is the addition or removal of phosphate groups, and it is the most common chemical change that regulates cellular processes. These changes can alter a protein’s structure, activity, stability, location inside the cell, and interactions with other proteins. During phosphorylation, protein kinases move the terminal phosphate group from ATP to a specific amino acid side chain on a target protein. The amino acids most often...

induced-fit model

How Enzymes Adjust to Their Substrates

Enzymes speed up many chemical reactions in cells. They are biological catalysts, so they increase reaction speed without being consumed or permanently changed. They do this by lowering the activation energy needed to turn reactants into products. Enzymes are proteins that usually work by binding to a substrate, which is the reactant molecule they act on. They show substrate specificity, meaning they bind only certain substrates. This specificity depends mainly on the shape and chemical...

enzyme kinetics

Substrate Effects on Enzyme Rates

Enzyme kinetics examines how enzymes change the rate of a reaction. Enzymes speed reactions by lowering the activation energy of the reactants. The reaction rate is the speed at which an enzyme turns reactants into products, and it can be affected by several factors, including the number of available reactants. Scientists often study enzyme kinetics in a test tube with a fixed amount of enzyme. When more substrate, or reactant, is added, the reaction rate increases because the enzyme can make...

enzyme inhibition

Competitive vs Noncompetitive Inhibitors

Enzyme inhibitors are molecules that reduce enzyme activity by binding to enzymes. Cells use these inhibitors to help regulate normal enzyme function. Drugs and toxins can also block enzymes and change how they work. Some inhibitors bind at the active site, which is the part of the enzyme where the substrate normally fits. Competitive inhibitors do this by occupying the active site and preventing the substrate from binding. If the substrate concentration becomes high enough, it can outcompete...

feedback inhibition

How Cells Control Product Buildup

Cells use enzymes to run biochemical reactions and make the products they need. These reactions are happening constantly, and enzymes speed them up so they happen fast enough to matter. Enzyme activity also has to be regulated. Cells need the right amounts of starting materials, intermediate metabolites, and final products. If these substances build up too much or drop too low, the cell can be harmed. That is why cells use control systems to keep metabolic levels balanced. One important...

allosteric regulation

Allosteric Control of Enzyme Speed

Allosteric control changes enzyme speed when a molecule binds to a site other than the active site. That alternate binding spot is called an allosteric site. An enzyme can have more than one allosteric site. This type of control can raise or lower enzyme activity. Many enzymes with allosteric control are metabolic enzymes. They help with the breakdown or the building of specific molecules in cells. In allosteric inhibition, the effector molecule causes a shape change that lowers the enzyme's...

cofactors and coenzymes

Enzyme Helpers: Metals, Vitamins, and More

Enzyme helpers are needed for many enzymes to work properly. These helpers fall into two groups: cofactors and coenzymes. Cofactors are metallic ions, while coenzymes are non-protein organic molecules. Both can be tightly bound to an enzyme or attach only when the substrate binds. Cofactors are common in mature proteins, appearing in about 30% of them. They are often added as the enzyme folds and help with catalytic activity. Magnesium is one important cofactor, and it is needed by more than...

key terms and concepts

Explore how the Second Law of Thermodynamics increases entropy as energy moves through food webs, from plants to herbivores and carnivores.

Entropy in Food Web Energy Flow | JoVE K12

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9-12.B.1.2

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9-12.B.1.2.a

Entropy in Food Web Energy Flow

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