Final answer:
Diatoms and gray whale energy relationship explained.
Explanation:
Diatoms are a type of phytoplankton that play a crucial role in oxygen and carbon production in the oceans. They have a distinctive feature where their silica cell walls require less energy to construct compared to other algae with carbohydrate-based cell walls.
The gray whale uses the energy from diatoms to build its mass through the consumption of diatoms. Due to the efficient construction process of diatoms' cell walls, a significant portion of the energy they provide can be utilized by the gray whale for growth and development.
When considering the percentage of diatom energy used for building the mass of the gray whale, it would be a substantial amount due to the vital role diatoms play in supplying energy and nutrients to marine ecosystems, including whales.
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