7th Grade Science Study Guide
Unit 2 Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem
Just as a map or GPS guides you to a location, use this
paper as a guide to studying this unit.
Part 1: Vocabulary
Know what these words mean and how to spell them:
Solar
Biomass
Carnivore
Chlorophyll
Compost
Consumer
Decomposer
Decomposition
Energy
Fermentation
Glucose
Herbivore
Omnivore
Organelle
Pollution
Producer
Products
Qualitative
Quantitative
Reactants
Recycling
Respiration
SI Unit
Trophic Level
Chemical
Energy
Radiant
Energy
Part II: Knowledge and Skills
The following sentences are what you must know about
the flow of energy in an ecosystem and be able to
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demonstrate your knowledge on the unit test this year
and on the STAARs exam next year:
Practice predicting/identifying safety equipment you
would use for a lab.
1. Practice identifying the steps of a lab procedure.
I.e. wait for teacher instructions, then read lab
instructions, etc.
2. Where does life on Earth get its energy?
3. Explain what life on Earth would be like without
photosynthesis.
4. Practice identifying lab equipment needed for a lab
or lab extension.
5. Identify the type and source of energy that starts
the photosynthesis process.
6. Explain what happens to the solar radiation in
plants.
7. Name the ingredients needed for photosynthesis to
take place.
8. Identify which type of organism undergoes
photosynthesis.
9. Practice identifying the process of photosynthesis
from images.
10. Be able to write the chemical equation for
photosynthesis.
11. Be able to write the chemical equation for cellular
respiration.
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12. Compare and contrast photosynthesis and cellular
respiration.
13. Explain how matter cycles through living systems.
14. Be able to draw and label a food chain, food web,
and energy pyramid.
15. What do producer’s give us?
16. What do the arrows in a food chain and food web
point to?
17. Identify the trophic level that has the most energy
and explain why.
18. Practice identifying producers, consumers, and
decomposers in food webs from different biomes.
19. Practice converting food webs into energy pyramids
correctly and label both. Be able to draw both.
20. Know how much energy is used at each level of
energy pyramid.
21. Explain the 10% Rule.
22. Practice predicting what will happen in energy
pyramid when one level of energy pyramid changes.
(Use Gizmo)
23. Describe how secondary and tertiary consumers
depend upon the sun for its energy.
24. Explain what happens to the energy in matter that’s
been placed in a compost bin.
25. Be able to draw and label the flow of energy in a
compost bin.
26. Explain what is happening in a compost bin/pile.
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27. Explain why decomposers are important to the
ecosystem.
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