Understanding What a Food Chain Is
A food chain is a sequence that shows how energy moves from one organism to another in an ecosystem. Each step represents who eats whom.
The Basic Levels of a Food Chain
Producers: Plants and algae that make their own food using sunlight.
Primary consumers: Herbivores that eat plants.
Secondary consumers: Carnivores that eat herbivores.
Tertiary consumers: Top predators at the highest level.
How Energy Flows
Energy starts with the sun. Plants capture it, animals eat the plants, and predators eat other animals. Energy decreases at each level.
Examples of Simple Food Chains
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake
Algae → Small fish → Bigger fish → Shark
Leaves → Caterpillar → Bird → Eagle
Why Food Chains Matter
They show how living things depend on each other for survival. If one part of the chain changes, it affects the entire ecosystem.
Food Chains vs. Food Webs
A food chain is a straight line. A food web is a network of many interconnected chains showing how complex feeding relationships really are.
The Simple Takeaway
A food chain shows how energy moves through nature—from plants to animals and predators. It helps ecosystems stay balanced and alive.