1.10 Energy Flow and the 10% Rule

Determine how the energy decreases as it flows through ecosystems.

• The 10% rule approximates that in the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is passed on.
• The loss of energy that occurs when energy moves from lower to higher trophic levels can be explained through the laws of thermodynamics.
• Enduring understanding ENG-1: Energy can be converted from one form to another.