Question

The percentage of solar energy which is not converted into food energy by the leaves of green plants in a terrestrial ecosystem is about ______.

Options

• 1%

• 10%

• 90%

• 99%

Answer 1

The percentage of solar energy which is not converted into food energy by the leaves of green plants in a terrestrial ecosystem is about 99%.

Explanation:

• It is estimated that only 1% of the solar energy that hits the Earth's surface is actually used by producers (green plants) to make food. 
• The last 99% of solar energy that plants don't use for photosynthesis is wasted. It is either reflected back, received as heat, or used by nature for things like evaporation, air flow, and so on.
• This is why ecosystems don't do a very good job of transferring energy and why a lot of solar energy is lost instead of being turned into biomass.