Worked example
In this web, grass → rabbit, grass → mouse, and mouse → owl. Which organism directly receives energy from the mouse?
Answer & why
Answer: owl
The stated mouse → owl link ends at the owl.
Grade 5 · Science
Trace energy through a food web
Use a supplied food web to trace direct feeding links without inventing a population prediction.
6 authored questions + worked example
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All questions
All 6 authored questions for this skill.
Question 1
A web shows seeds → mouse, seeds → sparrow, and mouse → fox. Which two organisms directly eat seeds?
- sparrow and fox
- mouse and sparrow
- fox and mouse
- seeds and fox
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: mouse and sparrow
Both arrows from seeds end at mouse or sparrow.
Question 2
A web shows leaves → caterpillar → bird. What is the caterpillar's direct food in this web?
- bird
- leaves
- soil minerals
- sunlight
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: leaves
The arrow into the caterpillar comes from leaves.
Question 3
A web shows grass → hare → fox. Which claim does this diagram alone NOT establish?
- The hare eats grass in this web.
- The exact number of foxes next year.
- The fox eats the hare in this web.
- Energy can move from grass through the hare to the fox.
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: The exact number of foxes next year.
Feeding links do not supply population counts, reproduction rates or next year's conditions.
Question 4
A web shows berries → mouse → owl and berries → beetle → bird. Which food begins both shown paths?
- berries
- owl
- bird
- mouse
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: berries
Both written paths start with berries as food.
Question 5
In this web, grass → rabbit, grass → mouse, and mouse → owl. Which organism directly receives energy from the mouse?
- grass
- owl
- rabbit
- the Sun
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: owl
The stated mouse → owl link ends at the owl.
Question 6
A web shows algae → snail → fish → heron. Which listed path follows all three arrows?
- algae → snail → fish → heron
- heron → fish → snail → algae
- snail → algae → heron → fish
- algae → fish → snail → heron
A hint
Read each arrow as energy moving from the food to its eater; use only the links given.
Answer & why
Answer: algae → snail → fish → heron
Each organism in the correct path is followed by its stated eater.