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Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Q1. [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 :
  1. (A) 1%
  2. (B) 10%
  3. (C) 90%
  4. (D) 99%
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2025 31/1/1 Q16
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:42 · grounding rag
Model Answer

(D) 99%

Green plants capture only about 1% of the solar energy falling on their leaves and convert it into food energy. Therefore, the percentage not converted is approximately 99%.

Source: Chapter 13, Section 13.1.1 (Food Chains and Webs)

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Explanation

The passage clearly states: "The green plants in a terrestrial ecosystem capture about 1% of the energy of sunlight that falls on their leaves and convert it into food energy." The question asks for what is not converted, so 100% − 1% = 99%. Students often confuse this with the 10% law (energy transfer between trophic levels), so keep the two values distinct: 1% = solar energy captured by plants; 10% = energy passed from one trophic level to the next.

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Previous-year CBSE Grade 10 board exam questions, organised by subject and chapter, each with a model answer — free to read and print.