Question

Provide three examples of a biological organism converting one form of energy into another*.  For each example, include:

1.What form of energy do you start with and what form of energy is it converted into?
2.What does this allow the organism to do?

Finally, answer: is this conversion 100% efficient, and why or why not?

*Note: do not re-use the same forms of energy in the same order. For example, if your first example involves the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy, your second example can include the conversion of chemical energy into some other form of energy, or the conversion of some other form of energy into mechanical energy, but cannot be the conversion of chemical into mechanical again.

Answer 1

1. Plants use solar energy to convert it into chemical energy which remain stored in food. Green plants with the help of solar energy and CO₂ and water make foods by the process of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll mlecule is mainly responsible for this conversation of energy.

2. In Bioluminescence chemical energy is converted into radiant energy or light energy. In deep sea, Bioluminescence plays a major role in communication. Many organisms use this  Bioluminescence to find food and mate in the dark sea bottom.

3. In electroreception, many fishes convert chemical energy into electrical energy. It is observed in many fishes and Duck billed paltypus. Electric eel, electric catfishes and electric rays use an electric organ which help them to create electric energy by which they can paralyze their prey and eat them.

In each energy conversation described above, 100% conversation is NOT possible. during conversation of one form of energy into another type, some energy always is lost as heat energy.