Approximately how much of the solar energy that falls on the leaves of a plant is converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis?

Options

A. less than 1%
B. 2-10%
C. 0.3
D. 0.5

Explanation

To solve the question of how much solar energy that falls on the leaves of a plant is converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Source of Energy**:
- Recognize that the sun is the ultimate source of energy for ecosystems, including plants.

2. **Understand Solar Radiation**:
- Know that not all solar radiation is usable for photosynthesis. The portion of solar energy that is usable for photosynthesis is known as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR).

3. **Determine the Percentage of PAR**:
- It is stated that less than 50% of the incident solar radiation is classified as PAR.

4. **Identify the Conversion Efficiency**:
- Of the solar energy that is captured by plants, only about 2-10% (or 1-5%) of the incident solar energy is converted into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

5. **Conclude the Approximate Conversion Rate**:
- Therefore, the approximate amount of solar energy that is converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis is around 2-10%.

### Final Answer:
Approximately 2-10% of the solar energy that falls on the leaves of a plant is converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis.

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