Answer: Food chains show a single path of energy in an ecosystem, and food web show all the overlapping food chains in that ecosystem.
Food chain is a linear food distribution channel where one organism is fed by the other in order to gain energy. Food chain involves the unidirectional flow of energy starting from lower most trophic level to higher trophic level. This energy distribution is according to the 10% law which suggest that energy at the lowest trophic level is the maximum which decreases by 10% on reaching subsequent higher trophic levels. Therefore, highest trophic level in the food chain receives the least energy. For example, plants are the primary producers of the ecosystem having highest energy these are fed by small animals like goat which are primary consumers, goat further eaten by fox ,which is secondary consumer. Lastly, the fox is eaten by lion ,which is a tertiary consumer. Here, lion will receive the lowest energy among all the trophic levels. Food web is an interconnection between overlapping food chains in an ecosystem. In a food web, food chains are dependent on each other for their food and energy requirements.
