How come in an ecosystem, energy is said to flow, while nutrients are said to cycle?
1 Answer
Energy changes from one from to another. Nutrients get used up by living things or get recycled.
Explanation:
In the universe, one thing is certain that energy is conserved . That means that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. It can only be converted or transformed from one form to another.
In an ecosystem energy just changes form. For example, when we cycle, muscular energy is transformed to mechanical energy while peddling. This is why we say energy "flows".
Nutrients do have a definitive end cycle. They can be created and be destroyed or even recycled. That is why we say that nutrients "cycle" because something with a start and finish has a cycle.
