Measurement (mass & weight): Food Chain 2
The Maths Bit!
One evening, in the Pacific Ocean, a great white shark caught and ate a common dolphin. That same day, the common dolphin ate 5 sardines. Each sardine had eaten 50 krill (a type of zooplankton) and each krill had eaten half its weight in phytoplankton (microscopic plants).
Can you calculate the total mass of all the plants and animals in this ocean food chain?
How will you make sure that you don’t miss out any plants or animals from your calculation?
Did you know?
Due to its massive size, it’s easy to understand why some people think that a humpback whale must be the top predator of a food chain. However, these mighty mammals can fall prey to great white sharks and killer whales (orcas).
Visualising the Problem and Getting Started
Hamza said. “The mass of 5 sardines is the same as a 1 kilogram weight.”
Do you agree with Hamza? Discuss your answer with a partner.
