Final answer:
Primary consumers get approximately 10% of the energy from the sun that is captured by primary producers through photosynthesis. The energy transfer between trophic levels is governed by the 10% rule, indicating that only about 10% of the energy is stored in the next level's biomass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of energy that primary consumers get from the sun can be understood through the concept of energy transfer in an ecosystem. Primary producers, such as plants, capture light energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis and convert it into chemical energy stored in organic molecules. When primary consumers, which are typically herbivores, feed on these producers, they gain energy from them. However, a fundamental rule of ecological energy transfer is that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next trophic level. This means that primary consumers get approximately 10% of the energy from the primary producers.
In terms of numerical calculations, if primary producers produce 1600 kcal/m², and primary consumers have 900 kcal/m², the trophic level transfer efficiency would be calculated with the formula (production at present trophic level/production at past trophic level)×100. This calculation would show a much higher percentage, indicating that the primary consumers have not only received energy from primary production but may also include energy from their bodily reserves or other sources.
Therefore, the correct answer to how much energy primary consumers get from the sun is a) 10%.