Ecological Efficiency Question

[DMD-2-B]

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I ran across this question and was wondering what you guys thought the answer was. I thought it was pretty simple till I saw I got it wrong, so I'd like to hear your strategies for attacking this one if you don't mind!

The ecological efficiency is only 5% from one trophic level to the next. For every 250 J of energy required by the secondary consumers, what is the minimum amount of energy the primary producers will have to generate?

 

[wlee009]

250J*20= 5000J required for primary consumers
5000J*20= 100000J produced by producers

Did I do it right?

 

[Notoriousjae]

250J*20= 5000J required for primary consumers
5000J*20= 100000J produced by producers

Did I do it right?

why did you multiply 250J by 20? 😕

 

[keibee82]

I ran across this question and was wondering what you guys thought the answer was. I thought it was pretty simple till I saw I got it wrong, so I'd like to hear your strategies for attacking this one if you don't mind!

The ecological efficiency is only 5% from one trophic level to the next. For every 250 J of energy required by the secondary consumers, what is the minimum amount of energy the primary producers will have to generate?

250 / 0.05 = 5000
5000 / 0.05 = 100000

 

[Notoriousjae]

250 / 0.05 = 5000
5000 / 0.05 = 100000

oh ok that makes more sense cuz i was wondering where he got that 20 from

 

[DMD-2-B]

250 / 0.05 = 5000
5000 / 0.05 = 100000

Yes, you did it right. I still don't really understand though. My point of confusion is why divide by .05 twice? I divided only once, thinking that 250 is the five percent that was passed down from the original 5000.

Clearly I am overlooking something. Would you mind explaining the reasoning?

Thanks! 👍

 

[Resonance]

Yes, you did it right. I still don't really understand though. My point of confusion is why divide by .05 twice? I divided only once, thinking that 250 is the five percent that was passed down from the original 5000.

Clearly I am overlooking something. Would you mind explaining the reasoning?

Thanks! 👍

dividing it once only give the minimum for the primary consumer, the question wants the minimum for the primary producer.

 

[DMD-2-B]

dividing it once only give the minimum for the primary consumer, the question wants the minimum for the primary producer.

thank you!