Lesson 4.7.4.3

4.7.4.3 Transfer of biomass Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 7

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.7.4.3, Transfer of biomass: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Biology (8461), Unit 7: Ecology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Approximately what percentage of incident light energy do producers transfer for photosynthesis?

    • 10%
    • 1%
    • 50%
    • 0.01%

  2. What proportion of biomass is transferred to the next trophic level, approximately?

    • 90%
    • 10%
    • 1%
    • 50%

  3. How is unabsorbed food material lost from a food chain?

    • Egested as faeces
    • Stored as fat
    • Used in growth
    • Absorbed into blood

  4. Which gas produced during respiration causes a loss of biomass?

    • Carbon dioxide
    • Amino acids
    • Glucose
    • Oxygen

  5. Which waste chemical excreted in urine causes a loss of biomass?

    • Cellulose
    • Glucose
    • Starch
    • Urea

  6. What process breaks down glucose in animals to release energy?

    • Respiration
    • Digestion
    • Excretion
    • Photosynthesis

  7. How is the percentage efficiency of biomass transfer calculated?

    • (Previous ÷ Transferred) × 100
    • (Transferred × Previous) ÷ 100
    • (Transferred ÷ Total) × 100
    • (Transferred ÷ Previous) × 100

  8. How does biomass loss affect organism numbers at higher trophic levels?

    • Has no effect
    • Doubles supported numbers
    • Reduces supported numbers
    • Increases supported numbers

  9. Producers in a field store 20,000 kg and primary consumers hold 2,000 kg. What is the efficiency of transfer?

    • 20%
    • 1%
    • 10%
    • 2%

  10. Primary consumers hold 1,200 kg and secondary consumers hold 90 kg. What is the efficiency of transfer?

    • 75%
    • 10%
    • 7.5%
    • 13%

  11. A primary consumer level contains 600 kg. Roughly how much biomass should the level above contain?

    • 600 kg
    • 6 kg
    • 60 kg
    • 300 kg

  12. Why is biomass lost from an animal as faeces?

    • Material is synthesised
    • Material is respired
    • Material is excreted
    • Material is unabsorbed

  13. A herbivore eats 100 kg of plant material and absorbs 40 kg. How much is egested?

    • 40 kg
    • 60 kg
    • 100 kg
    • 140 kg

  14. Why do top carnivores require large territories?

    • More available biomass
    • Lower energy needs
    • Less available biomass
    • Higher birth rates

  15. Why are there usually fewer apex predators than herbivores in an ecosystem?

    • Biomass is lost
    • Predators eat less
    • Herbivores grow faster
    • Biomass increases

  16. What percentage of incident light energy do producers usually transfer?

    • About 50%
    • About 1%
    • About 90%
    • About 10%

  17. 1,000,000 kJ of light hits a field. How much is transferred by producers?

    • 10,000 kJ
    • 1,000,000 kJ
    • 1,000 kJ
    • 100,000 kJ

  18. Producers 30,000 kg, primary consumers 3,000 kg, secondary consumers 240 kg. What is the overall efficiency from producers to secondary consumers?

    • 8%
    • 1.25%
    • 0.8%
    • 10%

  19. Which waste products of respiration cause a loss of biomass?

    • Amino acids, lipids
    • Urea and faeces
    • Carbon dioxide, water
    • Glucose and oxygen

  20. Why is biomass lost from a food chain during respiration?

    • Lost as waste
    • Stored in soil
    • Absorbed by light
    • Converted to minerals

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