Botany - Assignment
Botany - Assignment
Botany - Assignment
1. Make a summary table comparing the photosynthetic characteristics of the three major groups
of plants.
3. What other pigments aside from chlorophyll a participate in photosynthesis? What are their
functions?
Chlorophyll a: This is the most abundant pigment in plants. Chlorophyll a absorbs light with
wavelengths of 430nm (blue) and 662nm (red). It reflects green light strongly so it appears
green to us. It contains a hydrophobic (fat soluble) phytol chain that allow it to be embedded
in a lipid membrane. The rest of the structure called a tetrapyrrolic ring rests outside of the
membrane. It is this part of the pigment that absorbs the energy from light. The metal at the
center of the structure, Mg, can have variable oxidation states. This means that it can accept
and donate e- readily depending of the situation. It’s flexible, which is very important to the
function of the molecule.
Chlorophyll b: This molecule has a structure similar to that of chlorophyll a. It absorbs light of
453nm and 642 nm maximally. It is not as abundant as chlorophyll a, and probably evolved
later. It helps increase the range of light a plant can use for energy.
Carotenoids: This is a class of accessory pigments that occur in all photosynthetic organisms.
They are completely hydrophobic (fat soluble) and exist in lipid membranes. Carotenoids
absorb light maximally between 460 nm and 550 nm and appear red, orange, or yellow to us.
Xanthophylls are a fourth common class of pigments. They are essentially oxidized
Carotenoids and contain oxygen. They are usually red and yellow and do not absorb energy
as well as cartenoids. They are also fat soluble.