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Multiple Choice
The energy used by most organisms for metabolism and growth ultimately comes from __________.
A
heat
B
decomposition of plants and other organic debris
C
carbon dioxide
D
the sun
Verified step by step guidance
1
Begin by understanding the concept of energy flow in ecosystems. The sun is the primary source of energy for most life forms on Earth.
Recognize that plants, through the process of photosynthesis, convert solar energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. This is the foundation of energy flow in ecosystems.
Photosynthesis can be represented by the equation:
Understand that animals and other organisms obtain energy by consuming plants or other organisms, thus transferring the chemical energy originally captured from the sun.
Conclude that the sun is the ultimate source of energy for metabolism and growth in most organisms, as it initiates the energy flow through photosynthesis.