Power Plant Photosynthesis converts energy from sunlight into chemical energy. H

Question

Power Plant

Photosynthesis converts energy from sunlight into chemical energy. How efficient is this process? Let’s consider photosynthesis at a very basic level. We’ll assume that the basic reaction is: water + carbon dioxide + energy glucose + oxygen Metabolizing one mole (6.02×1023 molecules) of glucose releases 2900 kJ. In a plant, producing one molecule of glucose might take an energy input of 50 photons of wavelength 600 nm, ignoring losses due to absorption, reflection, etc. Given these numbers, what is the efficiency of this basic process?

Explanation / Answer

Here, energy input =   50 * hc/lambda

                                =   50 * (6.63 * 10-34 * 3 * 108/600 * 10-9)

                                 =   1.6575 * 10-17 J

=>    1 molecue of glucose produce energy = 2900 * 1000/(6.02×1023)

                                                                 = 4.8148 * 10-18 J

=> efficiency of this basic process = (4.8148 * 10-18)/(1.6575 * 10-17) * 100

                                                      = 29.048 %

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