Photosynthesis - Light absorption

Question 1

Equation for photosynthesis

Answer 1

Carbon dioxide ➕water ➡️ glucose ➕ oxygen

Question 2

What happens during photosynthesis?

Answer 2

During this process light energy is converted to chemical energy stored in glucose

Question 3

What are the 3 fates of light when it hits a leaf or any surface?

Answer 3

Absorbed

Reflected

Transmitted

Question 4

What happens to absorbed light after it hits a surface?

Answer 4

Only a small amount of absorbed light energy is used in photosynthesis

Question 5

What do the chloroplast contain?

Answer 5

Chloroplast contains several coloured photosynthetic pigments including chlorophyll which is the most important

Question 6

What do the coloured photosynthetic pigments do?

Answer 6

Absorb light energy

Different pigments absorb different wave lengths of light

Question 7

What is an absorption spectrum?

Answer 7

And absorption spectrum shows the absorption of light of each wave length by each pigment

Question 8

Describe chlorophyll in the absorption spectrum

Answer 8

Chlorophyll absorbs mainly in blue and red regions of the visible spectrum

There is limited absorption of light in green spectrum as most of it is reflected (this is why most plants are green)

Question 9

What are cartenoids and what did they do?

Answer 9

The cartenoids are accessory pigments that extend the range of wavelengths of available for photosynthesis and they also pass on energy to chlorophyll

Question 10

What is an action spectrum?

Answer 10

And action spectrum shows the rate of photosynthesis at each light wavelength