Ontario Grade 9 Science Class Practice Exam 2026 – Your Complete Guide to Exam Success!

A food chain represents the linear pathway of energy transfer in an ecosystem. In a food chain, energy begins with producers, such as plants, which convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. This energy is then transferred to primary consumers, such as herbivores, that eat the plants. Secondary consumers, which are typically carnivores or omnivores, consume the primary consumers, further transferring energy through the ecosystem.

Each step in this chain demonstrates how energy moves from one organism to another, highlighting the dependency of organisms on one another for survival. The linear structure emphasizes that energy is not reused in a cycle; instead, it flows in one direction, from producers to various levels of consumers. This directional flow is crucial for analyzing the dynamics of ecosystems and understanding the impacts of changes within those systems.