What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? ?

Food Chain is a single linear way of obtaining energy (food) while Food Web is a diversified way of obtaining energy as it shows different paths that food can be obtained.

Explanation:

All living organisms require energy to perform their life processes. Energy is gotten by consuming food. In an ecosystem, food is derived when organisms feed on one another in order gain energy. This feeding pattern of one organism feeding on another is called FOOD CHAIN. A food chain always starts with a producer, which is an autotrophic organism capable of tapping light energy from the sun to produce Its own food. Other organisms called CONSUMERS then begin to feed on the producer, subsequent consumers (Secondary, tertiary etc) feeds in that order.

A food chain is just a linear feeding pattern e.g PlantGoatLionMan. However, a much more complex and diversified pattern called FOOD WEB exists. Food web is the combination of many food chains linked together in the sense that it shows different paths in which food can be obtained. A food web will show that not only goats can feed on plants but other primary consumers and so on.