What happens to most of the energy input in a food chain?
A) It is degraded to low-quality heat.
B) It is converted to carbon dioxide.
C) It is converted to biomass.
D) It is recycled as it reaches the chain's end.

Question

What happens to most of the energy input in a food chain? 
A) It is degraded to low-quality heat. 
B) It is converted to carbon dioxide. 
C) It is converted to biomass. 
D) It is recycled as it reaches the chain's end.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Most of the energy input in a food chain is converted to low-quality heat, which cannot be used to sustain life processes. This is in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics that states that energy is lost as it is transferred from one organism to another. Only a small fraction of the energy is converted to biomass, while the rest is lost as heat.

What Happens to Most of the Energy Input in a Food