You are working in an alternative fuels laboratory and have been asked by your supervisor to determine the efficiency of photosynthesis for a plant that is being considered as a source of biofuels. you know that the plant produces the equivalent of 24 kg of sucrose per hectare per hour. you also know that sun supplies energy at a rate of 1.0 kilowatt per square meter of surface area. assume that sucrose is produced by the reaction: 12 co3 (g) + 11 h2o (g) ? c12h22o11 (s) + 12o2 (l) ? h = -5640 kj

Explanation:

Moles of sucrose =

                       =

                        =

                        =

Energy required for photosynthesis = 5640 kJ/mol

Energy needed to produce 24 kg sucrose

         = Energy required for photosynthesis x Moles of sucrose

          =

          =

Energy supplied from sun =

                                            = 1

Efficiency for photosynthesis =

                              =

                             =

                              = 1.098%

Thus, we can conclude that efficiency of photosynthesis for a plant that is being considered as a source of biofuels is 1.098 %.

c-14 is carbon-14, or radiocarbon.   it is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons.