Which statement best describes what ultimately happens to the chemical energy that is consumed but not used to produce new biomass in the process of energy transfer between trophic levels in an ecosystem?
A) It is undigested and winds up in the feces and is not passed on to higher trophic levels.
B) It is used by organisms to maintain their life processes through the reactions of cellular respiration.
C) Heat produced by cellular respiration is used by heterotrophs for thermoregulation.
D) It is eliminated as feces or is dissipated into space as heat as a result of cellular respiration consistent with the second law of thermodynamics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Energy not used in biomass production is eventually lost as heat due to cellular respiration, aligning with the second law of thermodynamics which states that energy transformations are not 100% efficient, leading to the dissipation of energy as heat.

Which Statement Best Describes What Ultimately Happens to the Chemical