ight and Pigments lough the equation tells you that water and \ipon dioxide are required for photosynthesis, “joes not tell You how plants use these low. igegy raw materials to produce high-energy {gers To ansiwor that question, you have to er how plants capture the energy of sunlight. {Din addition to water and earbon ‘photosynthesis requires light and Horophyll, a molecule in chloroplasts, Energy ftom the sun travels to Earth in the rm of light. Sunlight, which your eyes porceive Trwhite” light, is actually a mixture of differ- . 2 avolengths of light. Many of these wave- raths are visible to your eyes and make up shavis known as the visible spectrum. Your yes seo the different wavelengths ofthe visible pectrum as different colors. Plants gather the sun's energy with light- beorbing molecules called pigments. The plants! rincipal pigment is chlorophyll (KLAWR-ub-fl). There aretwo | Jun ypes of ehlorophy/l: chlorophyll a and chlorophyll & “As Figure 6-5 shows, chlorophyll absorbs light very well in teblue and red regions of the visible spectrum. However, tlorophyll does not absorb light well in the green region ofthe pectrum, which is why plants are green. Plants also contain red [Rderange pigments such as carotene that absorb light in other gions ofthe spectrum. Re ed one Pein} Estimated Absorption (1) 400 «60 500 550 600 650 Wavelength (am) 700 750 | A Figure #-s qpPhotosynthes fequires ight and chlorophyl, ‘which absorbs light energy. inthe [F9ph, notice how chiarophy 2 Sbrorbe ight in the violet an red fegons ofthe vale spectrom, ‘eh chioropyb absorbs ight the be and red regions ofthe voile spectrum, ‘Because light i a form of energy, any compound that absorbs ightalso absorbs the energy from that light. When chlorophyll Torbs light, much ofthe energy is transferred directly to elec {uns in the chlorophyll molecule, raising the energy levels of these lectrons. These high-energy electrons make photosynthesis work. Section Assessment tothe NET 1. D key Concept What did van Helmont, Priestley, anc Ingenhousz discover about plant | gown? | under pure yellow ight? Explain 2 Dey Concept Describe the | your answer. process of photosynthesis Including the reactants and Products 3. Dey concept Wy are Assessment Use Text 10 Tghtand chlorophyll needed for. | » review the importa photosynthesis? | Section 8-2, Cees 1. Van Helmont discovered that water was involved in increasing the mass ofa plant. Priestley discovered that a plant produces the substance in air required for burning. Ingenhousz discovered that light is necessary for plants to produce oxygen. Photosynthesis uses the energy of sunlight to ‘convert water and carbon dioxide into oxy- gn and high-energy sugars, ght provides the energy needed to pro- duce high-energy sugars. Chlorophyll 4. Why are plants green? 5. Critical Thinking Predicting ow well would » plant grows Read about the various pigments, such as Chlorephy/l and carotenoias, found in plants, Then, create 2 table sting these pigments {and the colors of ight they ‘absorb. Use the links provided in the Biology area atthe Prentice Hall Web ste for help in completing this ctity www: phschool.com oncepts in absorbs light, and the energy of that absorbed light makes photosynthesis work The chlorophyll in plants does not absorb light wel in the green region of the visible spectrum. ‘The plant would not grow well because ne ther chlorophyll a nor chlorophyl b absorbs ‘much light in the yellow region of visible light. Light and Pigments Build Science Skills Using Tables and Graphs Ater Students have examined the graph in Figure 8-3, ask How does the color Spectrum a the bottom relate to the graph tel? (Foch ofthe cols of the vibe spectum has a characte. ie ronge of wavelengths, os designated on the honizonta axis of the graph) In what region ofthe spectrum does chiorophyl b absorb ight best? (nthe Bue region) Challenge students to convert the data in the graph into a data table that shows, for example, the estimated absorption of chlorophyll @and chlorophyll bat $50 nm 3 ASSESS. Evaluate Understanding Have students write a paragraph, using their own words, that explains how plants produce high-eneray sugars through the process of photo- synthesis. Call on students at random to read their paragraphs. Reteach ‘Ask students to make a labeled draw. ing based on Figure 8-4 but with rmore realistic objects, including a leafy tree, the sun, and clouds in the sky (visually representing the atmos- phere). Ask that they use arrows and symbols in their drawing to show the same equation for photosynthes's that Figure 8-4 does. Tak@it tothe NET Student’ chats could include the accessory pigments anthocyanins, anthoxanthins, arotenoids (including carotenes and xanthophyls),fucoxanthins, and phycobilins. Accessory pig- ments generally absorb diferent wavelengths of ight than the Chlorophyll pigments absorb. For additional information, vist www.phschool.com Gan Use iText to review the key concepts in Section 8-2 Photosynthesis 207