Hamilton MS Science Gr 7 Energy Flow 2013

Terms	Definitions
energy	The ability to do work or to cause change.
radiant (light) energy	light; energy transmitted in wave motion from the sun
chemical energy	The potential energy stored in chemical compounds.
thermal energy	kinetic energy the movement of atoms and molecules which causes heat to be given off. Heat is thermal energy in transfer.
photosynthesis	Process by which plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (sugar) and oxygen.
biomass	the amount of living matter in a given habitat; organic matter, especially plant matter, that can be converted to fuel and is therefore regarded as a potential energy source.
decay	to decompose, rot or breakdown.
consumers	an organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms.
decomposers	an organism that breaks down large molecules from dead organisms into small molecules and returns important materials to the environment.
organism	something living like a plant, animal, bacteria, protest or fungus. It is made up of organs, organelles or other parts that work together to carry out a function.
carnivore	an animal that eats only other animals to obtain energy.
herbivore	an animal that eats only plants to obtain energy.
omnivore	an animal that eats both plants and animals to obtain energy.
producer	an organism that can make its own food
food chain	a series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy.
food web	the pattern of overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.
energy pyramid	a diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web.
energy flow	the flow or transfer of energy through a biological food chain.
ecosystem	all the living and nonliving things that interact in an area.
matter	anything that has mass and volume. Exists in four states-solid, liquid, gas and plasma.
recycle	processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, and to reduce energy
chloroplasts	a structure in the cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and uses it to produce food.
energy transfer	the transfer of energy from one body to another.
trophic level	A position in a food chain or Ecological Pyramid occupied by a group of organisms with similar feeding mode. Refers to food or feeding levels.
biomass pyramid	A graphical representation to show the relative amounts of biomass at each trophic level. Biomass pyramids are shaped that way to show that biomass is largest at the base, and decreasing in amount as it goes through the top.
primary	the first in order Ex: Primary consumers are the first consumers of the producers
secondary	the second in order. Ex: Secondary Consumers eat the primary consumers.
tertiary	the third in order. Ex: Tertiary consumers eat the secondary consumers.
joules	how energy or work is measured in science (1 calorie for a human = about 4 Joules)
calories	units of heat that measure the energy used by the body and the energy that foods supply to the body
solar energy	energy from the sun in the form of solar radiation.