Questions: The amount of original solar energy moving from plants to animals that eat plants is:
10%.
5%
1%.
2%.
Transcript text: The amount of original solar energy moving from plants to animals that eat plants is:
$10 \%$.
$5 \%$
$1 \%$.
$2 \%$.
Solution
The answer is the first one: 10%.
Explanation for each option:
10%: This is the correct answer. In ecological energy transfer, it is commonly accepted that approximately 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next. This is known as the "10% rule" in ecology, which states that when energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is passed on.
5%: This is incorrect. While energy transfer efficiency can vary, the standard rule is 10%, not 5%.
1%: This is incorrect. 1% is too low for the typical energy transfer from plants to herbivores.
2%: This is incorrect. Like the 1% option, 2% is also too low compared to the standard 10% rule.
In summary, the correct answer is 10%, as it aligns with the widely accepted ecological principle regarding energy transfer between trophic levels.