First exams in 2025

IB Style Test – SL Topic C4.2 Transfers of energy and matter

Theme C: Interaction and independence. Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Name ___________________Time allowed: 20 mins SL / 30 mins HL Mark: / 20(SL)

Mark scheme
Multiple choice questions (3 marks)

1. Which of the following are energy transformations that occur in a food web?

I. Light to chemical energy in photoautotrophs.

II. Chemical energy to heat energy in first order consumers.
III. Heat energy to chemical energy in saprotrophs.
IV. Chemical energy to mechanical energy in apex predators.

A. I, II and IV only
B. II and IV only
C. I and II only
D. I, II and III only

2. How can energy be transferred from a secondary consumer to a saprotroph and lost
from the food chain ?

I. As heat energy
II. As energy in excreted materials.
III. From undigested matter as egested materials.
IV. By respiration.

A. I and IV only
B. II and IV only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III only

3. Which of the following decrease at the stage in the food chain from producer to primary
consumer?

I. Population.
II. Biomass.
III. Chemical energy.
IV. Heat energy

A. I and II only
B. II and IV only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III only

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic C4.2 Transfers of energy and matter
Theme C: Interaction and independence. Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Structured answer questions (14 marks)

4. The diagram shows the carbon cycle with some words replaced by numbers. Use the
diagram to answer the questions below.

a. In the table below write the number on the diagram that corresponds to the word in the table.
(5 marks)

Number on Word
diagram
4 Egestion
1 Respiration
2 Carbon dioxide
3 Photosynthesis
5 Organic
b. Which process on the diagram is an anthropogenic cause of an increase in atmospheric carbon
dioxide? (1 mark)
Combustion
c. Outline why carbon sources and sinks need to be balanced in the ecosystem. (2 marks)
Carbon sources produce more carbon dioxide than they absorb.
Carbon sinks absorb more carbon dioxide than they produce.
If carbon sources and sinks are in balance, atmospheric carbon dioxide remains constant.
Ecosystems can be both sources and sinks in different seasons or climatic conditions.

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic C4.2 Transfers of energy and matter
Theme C: Interaction and independence. Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

5. The table represents the flow of chemical energy in a freshwater ecosystem.

Trophic level Chemical energy in Percentage of energy in

trophic level (kJm-2yr-1). producers available at each
trophic level
Tertiary consumers 5 0.1%
Secondary 91
consumers
Primary consumers 802 16%
Producers 4955 100%
a. Calculate the percentage of the chemical energy in the producers that is available in the
secondary consumers. (1 mark)
91/4955 x 100% = 1.8% (accept 2%).
b. Outline why the food chain has only four levels. (2 marks)
Energy is lost at each trophic level.
Only about 10% of energy at one trophic level is available for the next level.
There is insufficient energy at higher trophic levels to support a population.
c. Explain why the energy available at each trophic level is measured in kJm-2yr-1. (3 marks)
kJ is the unit/measure of energy.
Energy availability is measured or converted to the amount of energy per square meter in
the ecosystem.
Energy availability is calculated per year to take account of changing seasons.

Extended response question (3 marks)

6. Explain why autotrophs need to have an external energy source such as light. (3 marks)

Autotrophs are living organisms that use an external source of energy.

The external source of energy is used to synthesise ATP.
The external source/ATP is used to provide energy to synthesise organic molecules.
Organic molecules are synthesised from inorganic molecules.
Synthesising organic molecules (from inorganic) requires energy/ATP.
(Note: any three of this points is required for 3 marks)

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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