What is the term for a sequence of organisms through which energy is transferred by eating and being eaten?

The term describing a sequence of organisms through which energy is transferred by eating and being eaten is known as a food chain. A food chain illustrates the direct linear relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers, showing how energy flows in a specific direction—from producers that capture energy through photosynthesis, to primary consumers that eat them, and then to higher-order consumers that feed on those primary consumers.

In contrast, a food web encompasses a more complex network of interrelated food chains, illustrating how multiple organisms interact within an ecosystem rather than focusing on a single pathway of energy transfer. An ecosystem refers to the broader community of living organisms and their interactions with the physical environment, while an energy cycle describes the overall movement and transformation of energy within an ecosystem but does not specifically denote the direct transfer among organisms. Therefore, the food chain is the precise term that captures the essence of energy transfer through consumption in a straightforward manner.