Energy in Ecosystems — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Plants are consumers because they eat sunlight.
Corrected: Plants are producers because they make their own food using sunlight.
In Grade 5 science, producers like plants use sunlight to make food through photosynthesis.
2. Fix the sentence:
Photosynthesis happens in the roots of a plant.
Corrected: Photosynthesis happens mostly in the leaves of a plant.
Leaves contain chloroplasts with chlorophyll that capture sunlight for photosynthesis.
3. Fix the sentence:
Algae cannot be producers since they live in water.
Corrected: Algae are producers because they use sunlight to make food in water.
Algae have chlorophyll and perform photosynthesis, making them producers in aquatic ecosystems.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A producer is an organism that makes its own food using sunlight.
Producers like plants and algae make their own food and start every food chain.
2. Plants make food through a process called photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy stored in sugars.
3. The green pigment that captures sunlight in plants is called chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll absorbs light energy from the sun so plants can make food.
4. Producers get the energy they need from the sun.
The sun is the original source of energy for almost every ecosystem on Earth.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Why are producers called the first link in a food chain?
Sample answer: Producers are the first link because they make their own food from sunlight. All consumers depend on producers, either by eating them directly or by eating animals that ate them.
In Grade 5 science, producers start every food chain by capturing sunlight energy through photosynthesis.
2. How do plants and algae use sunlight to make food?
Sample answer: Plants and algae use chlorophyll in their cells to capture sunlight. They combine water and carbon dioxide with light energy to make sugar through photosynthesis, which stores energy.
Grade 5 students learn that photosynthesis turns light energy into stored chemical energy.