How do food webs and photosynthesis demonstrate the transfer and conservation of matter and energy?

The correct answer illustrates the principles of conservation of mass and energy transfer in ecological systems. Food webs depict the intricate connections between different organisms in an ecosystem, showing how energy and matter flow through various trophic levels, from producers to consumers and decomposers. Photosynthesis is a critical process where plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, producing glucose and oxygen while using carbon dioxide and water.

Both food webs and photosynthesis adhere to the law of conservation of mass and energy, meaning that the total amount of matter and energy remains unchanged in a closed system, even as they change form or location. In other words, the components involved may be redistributed, but they are neither created nor destroyed. Thus, energy captured by photosynthesis eventually moves through the food web as organisms consume one another, maintaining a balance of energy and matter in the ecosystem. This interconnectedness highlights how matter and energy circulate, underpinning the functioning of ecosystems.

The other options do not accurately capture these fundamental principles. They either misrepresent the relationship between energy production and consumption or entirely disregard the interaction between photosynthesis and ecological networks.