The First Law of Thermodynamics
- Energy exists in many different forms, including light energy, heat energy, chemical energy, electrical energy, and kinetic energy
- The way in which energy behaves within systems can be explained by the laws of thermodynamics
- There are two laws of thermodynamics
- The first law of thermodynamics is as follows:
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed from one form to another
- This is also known as the principle of conservation of energy
- It means that the energy entering a system equals the energy leaving it
- The transfer of energy in food chains within ecosystems demonstrates the principle of conservation of energy
- Energy enters the system (the food chain or food web) in the form of sunlight
- Producers convert this light energy into biomass (stored chemical energy) via photosynthesis
- This chemical energy is passed along the food chain, via consumers, as biomass
- All energy ultimately leaves the food chain, food web or ecosystem as heat energy