● We can look for an answer for `color{violet}"why and how"` there are so many `color{violet}"shades of green"` in their leaves – even in the same plant, by trying to `color{violet}"separate the leaf pigments"` of any green plant through `color{violet}"paper chromatography"`.
● A `color{Brown}"chromatographic separation"` of the leaf pigments shows that the colour that we see in leaves is `color{violet}"not due to a single pigment"` but due to `color{Brown}"four pigments"`:
`star` `color{Brown}"Chlorophyll a"` (`color{violet}"bright or blue green"` in the chromatogram),
`star` `color{Brown}"Chlorophyll b"` (`color{violet}"yellow green"`),
`star` `color{Brown}"Xanthophylls"` (`color{violet}"yellow"`)
`star` `color{Brown}"Carotenoids"` (`color{violet}"yellow to yellow-orange"`).
● Pigments are `color{violet}"substances"` that have an `color{violet}"ability to absorb light"`, at `color{violet}"specific wavelengths"`.
● It is known that the `color{violet}"wavelength of the visible spectrum"` of light as well as the `color{violet}"VIBGYOR"`.
● Now look at the figure showing the `color{violet}"wavelengths"` at which `color{violet}"maximum photosynthesis occurs"` in a plant.
● The wavelengths at which there is `color{violet}"maximum absorption by chlorophyll a"`, i.e., in the `color{Brown}"blue and the red regions"`, also shows `color{violet}"higher rate of photosynthesis"`.
● Hence, we can conclude that `color{violet}"chlorophyll a"` is `color{violet}"the chief pigment"` associated with photosynthesis.
● These `color{violet}"graphs"`, together, show that `color{violet}"most of the photosynthesis"` takes place in the `color{violet}"blue and red regions"` of the spectrum; some photosynthesis does take place at the `color{violet}"other wavelengths"` of the visible spectrum.
● This is because that though `color{violet}"chlorophyll is the major pigment"` responsible for trapping light, other `color{violet}"thylakoid pigments"` like `color{violet}"chlorophyll b, xanthophylls"` and `color{violet}"carotenoids"`, which are called `color{Brown}"accessory pigments"`, also `color{violet}"absorb light"` and `color{violet}"transfer the energy"` to chlorophyll a.
● Indeed, they not only enable a `color{violet}"wider range of wavelength"` of incoming light to be `color{violet}"utilized for photosynthesis"` but also `color{violet}"protect chlorophyll a:"` from `color{Brown}"photo-oxidation"`.
● We can look for an answer for `color{violet}"why and how"` there are so many `color{violet}"shades of green"` in their leaves – even in the same plant, by trying to `color{violet}"separate the leaf pigments"` of any green plant through `color{violet}"paper chromatography"`.
● A `color{Brown}"chromatographic separation"` of the leaf pigments shows that the colour that we see in leaves is `color{violet}"not due to a single pigment"` but due to `color{Brown}"four pigments"`:
`star` `color{Brown}"Chlorophyll a"` (`color{violet}"bright or blue green"` in the chromatogram),
`star` `color{Brown}"Chlorophyll b"` (`color{violet}"yellow green"`),
`star` `color{Brown}"Xanthophylls"` (`color{violet}"yellow"`)
`star` `color{Brown}"Carotenoids"` (`color{violet}"yellow to yellow-orange"`).
● Pigments are `color{violet}"substances"` that have an `color{violet}"ability to absorb light"`, at `color{violet}"specific wavelengths"`.
● It is known that the `color{violet}"wavelength of the visible spectrum"` of light as well as the `color{violet}"VIBGYOR"`.
● Now look at the figure showing the `color{violet}"wavelengths"` at which `color{violet}"maximum photosynthesis occurs"` in a plant.
● The wavelengths at which there is `color{violet}"maximum absorption by chlorophyll a"`, i.e., in the `color{Brown}"blue and the red regions"`, also shows `color{violet}"higher rate of photosynthesis"`.
● Hence, we can conclude that `color{violet}"chlorophyll a"` is `color{violet}"the chief pigment"` associated with photosynthesis.
● These `color{violet}"graphs"`, together, show that `color{violet}"most of the photosynthesis"` takes place in the `color{violet}"blue and red regions"` of the spectrum; some photosynthesis does take place at the `color{violet}"other wavelengths"` of the visible spectrum.
● This is because that though `color{violet}"chlorophyll is the major pigment"` responsible for trapping light, other `color{violet}"thylakoid pigments"` like `color{violet}"chlorophyll b, xanthophylls"` and `color{violet}"carotenoids"`, which are called `color{Brown}"accessory pigments"`, also `color{violet}"absorb light"` and `color{violet}"transfer the energy"` to chlorophyll a.
● Indeed, they not only enable a `color{violet}"wider range of wavelength"` of incoming light to be `color{violet}"utilized for photosynthesis"` but also `color{violet}"protect chlorophyll a:"` from `color{Brown}"photo-oxidation"`.