Expert: Walter Hintz - 7/13/2005

Question
Hello, please could you tell me what happens to the energy of a creature when it dies?

Thank you

Answer
 Hi jackie
The Law of Conservation of matter and energy tells us that matter and energy cannot be created nor destroyed but only changed in form.  It is constantly changing form.  In living organisms energy is bound up in chemical bonds and usually stored in a compound called ATP.
These bonds are constantly being broken and reformed. When bonds are broken the energy is lost in the form of heat.  When life ceases the breakdown continues but energy is no longer stored and all compounds degrade into their simplest forms (elements and atoms)  The heat is dissipated into the atmosphere.