The percentage (%) of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by plants is -
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → 2-10%
The sun is the source of energy for almost all ecosystems. Of the solar radiation falling on the earth, less than 50 per cent is photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the part of sunlight that plants can use for photosynthesis. Plants capture only 2-10 per cent of the PAR. This small amount of energy supports the whole living world.
(1) 2-10% — Correct. This is the share of PAR that plants capture.
(2) 5-10% — Incorrect. The lower limit is 2 per cent, not 5 per cent.
(3) 25-50% — Incorrect. The figure of 50 per cent is the upper limit of the PAR in the incident sunlight, not the share captured by plants.
(4) 50-100% — Incorrect. Plants capture only a very small part of the light that falls on them.
NCERT Extract:
Energy Flow –
