The transfer of energy in a food chain is

In a food chain, energy is always transferred in one direction, from producers to consumers.

The flow of energy in a food chain is given below:

• For any ecosystem, the Sun is the ultimate source of energy.
• Through the biological process of photosynthesis, green plants catch around 1% of the solar energy incident on the Earth, and convert it to food.
• When plants are eaten up by herbivores, the chemical energy (food) stored in the plants is transferred to these animals. These animals (herbivores) utilise some of this energy for metabolic activities, and the remaining energy is stored.
• The process of energy transfer is similarly repeated with carnivores and so on.