In an ecosystem, the 10% of energy available for transfer from onetrophic level to the next is in the form of(a) heat energy(b) light energy(c) chemical energy(d) mechanical energy

In an ecosystem, the 10% of energy available for transfer from one trophic level to the next is in the form of (c) chemical energy.

Here's why:

Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from primary producers to various consumers. This flow is often conceptualized as a pyramid, with primary producers forming the base and top-level consumers at the apex.

At each trophic level, organisms use and "burn off" energy for their own life processes such as growth, reproduction, and movement. This energy is lost as heat to the environment.

However, a small portion of the energy (about 10%) is stored in the organisms' bodies and can be passed on to the next trophic level when they are eaten. This stored energy is in the form of chemical energy, contained within the molecules of the organisms' bodies.

So, when a herbivore eats a plant, it gains the energy stored in the plant's body. When a carnivore eats the herbivore, it then gains the energy stored in the herbivore's body. But at each step, only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level. The rest is lost as heat, keeping with the second law of thermodynamics, which states that whenever energy is converted from one form to another, there is a loss of usable energy.

Therefore, the answer is (c) chemical energy.