CHLOROPHYLL-and-other-PIGMENTS

Chlorophyll

A pigment found in plants that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Stomata

Small openings on the underside of leaves that allow for gas exchange, including the intake of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant cells that contains chlorophyll and is the site of photosynthesis.

Pigments

Chemical compounds that reflect certain wavelengths of visible light and absorb photons of specific wavelengths.

Chlorophyll a

The most abundant and important pigment in photosynthesis, responsible for capturing light energy and passing it on to molecules that produce sugars.

Chlorophyll b

A pigment similar to chlorophyll a that assists in capturing light energy and transferring it to chlorophyll a.

Carotenoids

A class of accessory pigments that occur in all photosynthetic organisms and help transfer absorbed energy to chlorophyll.

Xanthophylls

Oxidized carotenoids that function as accessory light-harvesting pigments and protect photosynthetic organisms from the potentially toxic effects of light.

Anthocyanins

A type of flavonoid compound with antioxidant effects, containing Cu and stored in the vacuole of a plant. They are found naturally in a number of foods and can appear as red, purple, or blue colors. In photosynthesis, anthocyanins absorb ultraviolet light to prevent damage to leaves from intense light energy.

Chlorophyll a and b

Pigments found in plants responsible for absorbing light energy during photosynthesis. Chlorophyll a absorbs light with a wavelength of 680nm (P680), while chlorophyll b absorbs light with a wavelength of 700nm (P700).

Electron Transport Chain

A series of electron carrier molecules embedded in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. It plays a crucial role in the transfer of electrons and the generation of ATP during photosynthesis.

Photoexcitation

The process by which a chlorophyll molecule absorbs photon or light energy, causing an electron to be elevated to a higher energy orbital. This leads to the molecule being in an excited state.

Photosystem

Clusters of pigments and proteins found in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts. They participate in photosynthesis by capturing and transferring photon energy to the reaction center.

Reaction center

A complex of proteins and a special pair of chlorophyll a molecules within a photosystem. It uses the energy absorbed from light to initiate photosynthetic reactions.

Antenna pigments

Light-absorbing pigments surrounding the reaction center in a photosystem. They capture photon energy and funnel it to the reaction center, enhancing the efficiency of photosynthesis.