AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should understand that photosynthetic organisms are the producers…
Full specification wording
Levels of organisation: Students should understand that photosynthetic organisms are the producers of biomass for life on Earth.
Biomass is the mass of living material in organisms.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 12
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Biomass is the mass of living material in organisms. Photosynthetic organisms, including plants, algae and some bacteria, capture light energy and use it to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The glucose is used to build biological molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, so the organisms increase in biomass. Because almost all other organisms obtain their biomass by eating these photosynthetic organisms or by eating organisms that have eaten them, photosynthetic organisms are the producers at the base of food chains. They transfer energy from sunlight into chemical energy stored in biomass, and this energy passes through communities along feeding relationships.
What earns the marks
- Photosynthetic organisms use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
- The glucose produced is used to make biological molecules, which increases the organism's biomass.
- Producers are organisms that make their own organic nutrients, and photosynthetic organisms are the main producers on Earth.
- Other organisms obtain biomass by feeding on producers or on organisms that have eaten producers.
- Energy is transferred from sunlight into chemical energy in biomass and then through food chains.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Saying plants 'eat' soil nutrients to gain biomass.
Put it right: Plants make glucose by photosynthesis and also absorb mineral ions, but the carbon in biomass comes mainly from carbon dioxide.
Confusing biomass with energy.
Put it right: Biomass is a mass of living material, while energy is transferred between organisms and is measured in joules.
Thinking all producers are plants.
Put it right: Algae and some bacteria are also photosynthetic producers.
Exam tips
- Use the word 'biomass' precisely as the mass of living material, not as a synonym for energy.
- When explaining food chains, start with the producer and state that it synthesises molecules using light energy.
- Link photosynthesis to biomass by naming glucose and the biological molecules built from it.
Try the lesson
The start of the Levels of organisation: Students should understand that photosynthetic organisms are the producers of biomass for life on Earth. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which organisms are the producers of biomass for life on Earth?
Listen
Biomass is the mass of living material in organisms. Photosynthetic organisms, including plants, algae and some bacteria, capture light energy and use it to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The glucose is used to build biological molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, so the organisms increase in biomass. Because almost all other organisms obtain their biomass by eating these photosynthetic organisms or by eating organisms that have eaten them, photosynthetic organisms are the producers at the base of food chains. They transfer energy from sunlight into chemical energy stored in biomass, and this energy passes through communities along feeding relationships. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Photosynthetic organisms use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced is used to make biological molecules, which increases the organism's biomass. Producers are organisms that make their own organic nutrients, and photosynthetic organisms are the main producers on Earth. Other organisms obtain biomass by feeding on producers or on organisms that have eaten producers. A common slip: Saying plants 'eat' soil nutrients to gain biomass. Instead, plants make glucose by photosynthesis and also absorb mineral ions, but the carbon in biomass comes mainly from carbon dioxide. Exam tip: Use the word 'biomass' precisely as the mass of living material, not as a synonym for energy.
See it
Put it in order
Put these steps in the order they happen.
- 1. Energy passes through communities along feeding relationships
- 2. Other organisms obtain biomass by feeding
- 3. Carbon dioxide and water converted into glucose and oxygen
- 4. Organisms increase in biomass
- 5. Light energy
- 6. Photosynthetic organisms
- 7. Glucose used to build biological molecules
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Biomass
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Producers
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Photosynthetic organisms
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Energy transfer
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Biomass
- The mass of living material in organisms, which increases when glucose is used to build biological molecules.
- Producers
- Organisms that make their own organic nutrients, with photosynthetic organisms being the main producers on Earth.
- Photosynthetic organisms
- Organisms, including plants, algae and some bacteria, that capture light energy and use it to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
- Energy transfer
- Energy is transferred from sunlight into chemical energy stored in biomass and then passes through communities along feeding relationships.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
There is more to this lesson
The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Test your understanding of Levels of organisation: Students should understand that photosynthetic organisms are the producers of biomass for life on Earth.
Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge