Name __________________________________________________________ Period _______
Energy Pyramid Lab
Objective
Identify why there are fewer numbers of organisms at the top of the energy pyramid than are in the
Preceding levels.
Background Information
An energy pyramid is a graphical model of energy flow in a community. The different levels represent
different groups of organisms that might compose a food chain. Energy pyramids show the amount of
energy transferred from one level to the next. Each level, called a trophic level, uses about 90% of the
available energy to carry out life processes such as growing, eating, breathing, and reproducing. Only
about 10% of the energy from the previous level moves to the next level.
Unit 1
2 Hours
Group Names
Energy Pyramid
Class Period
Decomposers
Tertiary
Consumers
Secondary
Consumers
Primary
Consumers
Energy from
Photosynthesis
Producers
1
Unit 1
2 hours
Data Table
A
Energy
Levels
B
C
D
E
Amount of
Energy Not
Transferred
(Kcal in %)
Beginning
Number of Beans
(Column B/ Column A)
(Column C x 100)
(100 - Column D)
Amount of
Energy
Transferred (%)
Post-Lab Analysis Questions
1. What percent (%) of energy was transferred from each level to the next?
Producers
Procedure
(Part B)
1.
Count
out 1000 beans. Divide up this responsibility in your group so that it will go faster.
Primary
2. Divide the 1000 beans into groups of 100.
Consumers
2. Which level and organisms have the most energy?
3. Place all 1000 beans (the 10 groups of 100) into the Producer level of the Energy Pyramid.
Secondary
4. Move 10% of the beans (100 beans) from the Producer level of the Energy Pyramid and place
Consumers
them in the Primary Consumer level of the Energy Pyramid.
Tertiary
Consumers
5. Divide the 100 beans in the Primary Consumer level into groups of 10.
3. Which level and organisms have the least energy?
6. Move 10% of the beans (10 beans) from the Primary Consumer level of the Energy Pyramid and
place them in the Secondary Level of the Energy Pyramid.
7. Move 10% of the beans (1 bean) from the Secondary Level of the Energy Pyramid and place the
4. Why doesn’t ALL the energy transfer to the next level? Where does the energy not transferred go?
5. If you removed all of organisms (energy) from the secondary consumer level, what would happen
to the organisms in the tertiary level of consumers?
6. What would happen to the primary level of consumers if you removed all of the secondary level
consumers?
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