Which of the following statements best summarizes an important consequence of the first law of thermodynamics for living organisms?
A) The energy content of a single organism is constant.
B) Each organism ultimately must obtain all of the necessary energy for life from its environment.
C) The entropy of an organism decreases with time as the organism grows in complexity.
D) An organism grows by converting energy into organic matter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of energy conservation, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. For living organisms, this means they must obtain energy from their environment to sustain life processes, as they cannot create energy themselves.

Which of the Following Statements Best Summarizes an Important Consequence