Question

Assertion (A): A food chain will never begin if there are no green plants.
Reason (R): Green plants produce food by the process of photosynthesis.

• A. A is false, but R is true
• B. Both A and R are true. R is not the correct explanation of A.
• C. Both A and R are true. R is the correct explanation of A.
• D. A is true, but R is false.

Answer 1

The correct option is C Both A and R are true. R is the correct explanation of A.

A food chain always begins from an autotroph. Green plants have the ability to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight, and convert it into its usable form, i.e., carbohydrates. This is done through the process of photosynthesis. They have the ability to pass this fixed energy to other organisms. No other organism can prepare the food on their own, i.e., they are heterotrophs. Thus, a food chain cannot start without autotrophs, i.e., plants.