Question

Maximum solar energy is trapped by:

• A. (a) Planting trees
• B. (b) Cultivating crops
• C. (c) Growing algae in tanks
• D. (d) Growing grasses

Answer 1

The correct option is C

(c) Growing algae in tanks

The correct option is C:

The explanation for the correct option:

1. Algae are various groups of predominantly aquatic photosynthetic organisms, including cyanobacteria, chlorophyte, and other eukaryotic algae.
2. They account for over 50 to 55% of the photosynthesis that takes place on Earth.
3. Photosynthetic efficiency is higher in algae than in higher plants, like grasses, trees, and various crops because of a broad range of antenna pigments to harvest more sunlight and a variety of carbon dioxide-concentrating systems to extend carbon dioxide concentration around ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RUBISCO).

The explanation for the incorrect options:

Option A:

1. Even though trees are big in size, they lack the pigment phycocyanin.
2. This reduces the efficiency of trees to trap sunlight.
3. Hence, it is an incorrect option.

Option B:

1. Cultivating crops does not require much solar energy and hence they do not trap the sunlight in huge amounts.
2. Also, the surface area is less and that is why they are unable to trap more amount of sunlight.
3. Hence, it is an incorrect option.

Option D:

Grasses are very small in size and hence due to less surface area, they are unable to trap more solar energy.

Final answer: Maximum solar energy is trapped by growing algae in tanks.