Question

Name the four kinds of photosynthetic pigments found in a typical leaf. For each pigment, name the color(s) of light waves it reflects and/or transmits.

Answer 1

• pigment absorbs specific energy or wavelengths of light and reflects others.
• An accessory pigment is a compound that absorbs light in photosynthetic organisms and operates with chlorophyll a, which is the most prominent pigment that is present in green plants.
• Some accessory pigments constitute forms of chlorophyll a, like chlorophyll b, and some do not involve forms of chlorophyll a, like carotenoids.

1. Chlorophyll B
Chlorophyll b is an accessory pigment that promotes plants to absorb light utilised for energy. Chlorophyll b is yellow in colour it absorbs red and violet light.
2. Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are water soluble and persist in the vacuole of a plant. These accessory pigments occur in all tissues of higher plants including roots, flowers, leaves, fruits and stems. Anthocyanins are purple, red and blue in colour they originally absorb blue, green and blue-green light
3. Xanthophylls
Xanthophylls accessory pigments include oxygen and are essentially oxidized carotenoids. these do not absorb energy as well as carotenoids. Xanthophylls are red and yellow in colour and absorb blue light.
4. Carotenoids
Carotenoids are the primary pigments in fruits and flowers. These pigments are hydrophobic and exist in lipid membranes; Carotenoids are red, yellow or orange in colour and originally absorb blue light.