Bioenergetics
Energy is able to move through the systems by undergoing these energy conversion. As an example, energy from the sun is converted from thermal energy into chemical energy by a producer; the producer is then eaten by a consumer; and the energy travels up the food chain. At each level the amount of energy is reduced, following the second law of bioenergetics that states that energy transfer will always proceed in the direction of increased entropy, and the release of “free energy.” In this situation, most energy is lost as heat as it travels through the food chain.