Plant pigment molecules absorb only light in the wavelength range of 700 nm to 400 nm; this range is referred to as photosynthetically-active radiation. Violet and blue have the shortest wavelengths and the most energy, whereas red has the longest wavelengths and carries the least amount of energy.

An action spectrum plots the rate of photosynthesis at various wavelengths of visible light, and it shows that blue light with a wavelength of about 490 nm is effective in driving photosynthesis.

1. Two major photosynthetic pigments are chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. 2. Both chlorophylls absorb violet, blue, and red wavelengths best.

As shown in detail in the absorption spectra, chlorophyll absorbs light in the red (long wavelength) and the blue (short wavelength) regions of the visible light spectrum. Green light is not absorbed but reflected, making the plant appear green. Chlorophyll is found in the chloroplasts of plants.

In the case of chlorophyll a the maximal absorption in the red region is at 642 nm and in the blue region at 372 nm; for chlorophyll b the values are 626 nm and 392 nm, respectively.

Chlorophyll, the green pigment common to all photosynthetic cells, absorbs all wavelengths of visible light except green, which it reflects. This is why plants appear green to us. Black pigments absorb all wavelengths of visible light that strike them. White pigments reflect most of the wavelengths striking them.

green light

If only chlorophyll a were involved in the light reactions, would blue light (wavelength about 490 nm) be effective in driving photosynthesis? a) The peak absorption for chlorophyll b is close to this wavelength, so we can predict that blue light would be effective.

Which wavelength of light is best absorbed by chlorophyll b? They absorb blue/green light and reflect yellow and red wavelengths of light. You obtain the pigments called carotenoids in your diet when you eat carrots.

Chlorophyll absorbs red light. No light gets absorbed by chlorophyll means the plant can’t do photosynthesis. Answer 3: However, the pigment doesn’t strongly absorb blue or green light, so plants can’t use this energy for photosynthesis.

Chlorophyll b absorbs blue light very well and orange a bit (absorbs blue from about 430-500 10-6 m and absorbs orange from 650-680 10-6 m). It reflects green and yellow from 500-650 10-6 m. What are carotenoids?

Plants are green because their cells contain chloroplasts which have the pigment chlorophyll which absorbs deep-blue and red light, so that the rest of the sunlight spectrum is being reflected causing the plant to look green.

A pigment used by most photosynthetic organisms as their primary photosynthetic pigment. Green photosynthetic organisms that use chlorophyll absorb light energy in red and blue wavelengths. They do not absorb green light! Plants appear green because their chlorophyll containing chloroplasts reflecting green wavelength.

It is the GREEN that you see. CHLOROPHYLL (green pigment in plants) absorbs most of the blue and red light of the spectrum. ACCESSORY PIGMENTS (include orange and yellow) are also found in plants. What are ACCESSORY PIGMENTS?

blue light

This occurred because during photosynthesis, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids best absorb violet (350 – 450 nm) and red light (620 – 750 nm), but they also absorb white light the best, since it is all wavelengths. These pigments reflect green and yellow light.

During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) from the air and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose.

The process of photosynthesis For photosynthesis to take place, plants need to take in carbon dioxide (from the air), water (from the ground) and light (usually from the sun).

The Light Reactions of Photosynthesis. Light is absorbed and the energy is used to drive electrons from water to generate NADPH and to drive protons across a membrane. These protons return through ATP synthase to make ATP.

Three ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP, is a molecule that carries energy within cells. It is the main energy currency of the cell, and it is an end product of the processes of photophosphorylation (adding a phosphate group to a molecule using energy from light), cellular respiration, and fermentation.

The Krebs cycle takes place inside the mitochondria. The Krebs cycle produces the CO2 that you breath out. This stage produces most of the energy ( 34 ATP molecules, compared to only 2 ATP for glycolysis and 2 ATP for Krebs cycle). The electron transport chain takes place in the mitochondria.

18 ATP