Which statement best describes what ultimately happens to the chemical energy that is NOT converted to 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, consistent with the second law of thermodynamics.
E) It is recycled by decomposers to smaller and smaller forms until it finally breaks down to form soil.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy not converted to biomass is lost as heat or eliminated as waste, aligning with the second law of thermodynamics, which states that energy transformations are not 100% efficient and some energy is always lost as heat to the surroundings.

Which Statement Best Describes What Ultimately Happens to the Chemical