Solar energy absorbed by chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis

What is the function of chlorophyll in a plant?

Chlorophyll’s job in a plant is to absorb light—usually sunlight. The energy absorbed from light is transferred to two kinds of energy-storing molecules. Through photosynthesis, the plant uses the stored energy to convert carbon dioxide (absorbed from the air) and water into glucose, a type of sugar.

What happens when chlorophyll absorbs light?

When the chlorophyll absorbs light, the excited electrons must eventually relax to their ground state. It can do this by either radiative or nonradiative processes. In radiative decay, a photon of lower energy is emitted (after some energy has already been lost by vibrational transitions) in a process of either fluorescence or phosphorescence.

How do photosynthetic cells capture solar energy?

In plants, some sugar molecules are stored as sucrose or starch. Photosynthetic cells contain chlorophyll and other light-sensitive pigments that capture solar energy. In the presence of carbon dioxide, such cells are able to convert this solar energy into energy-rich organic molecules, such as glucose.

What molecule collects solar energy for photosynthesis?

Chlorophyll is a green pigment molecule that collects solar energy for photosynthesis. It's actually a family of related molecules, not just one. Chlorophyll is found in plants, algae, cyanobacteria, protists, and a few animals. Although chlorophyll is the most common photosynthetic pigment, there are several others, including the anthocyanins.

Why is chlorophyll a pigment?

A pigment is a molecule that has a particular color and can absorb light at different wavelengths, depending on the color. There are many different types of pigments in nature, but chlorophyll is unique in its ability to enable plants to absorb the energy they need to build tissues.

Where does chlorophyll surround photosystems?

In plants, chlorophyll surrounds photosystems in the thylakoid membrane of organelles called chloroplasts, which are concentrated in the leaves of plants. Chlorophyll absorbs light and uses resonance energy transfer to energize reaction centers in photosystem I and photosystem II.