Draw a quick sketch of the chromatography paper and the positions of the different pigments relative to original line where you put the spot of leaf extract. (Bazil)
Which pigment is the most soluble and which is the least soluble in petroleum ether? Each pigment has a different solubility in the solvent due to their unique molecular structures and differing polarities. Solubility plays in an important role in determining unknown pigments in a sample. In the case of the lab, the most soluble pigment should have the highest Rf value and should have travelled the farthest distance on the chromatography paper. The pigment that had the highest Rf value of 0.37 was the yellow pigment Xanthophyll. The pigment with the lowest Rf value was …show more content…
Use the background to help you answer this question by filling out the observation chart.
If chlorophyll a and b absorb red and blue wavelengths of light, why do plant leaves appear green to us? Each pigment has a different absorption spectra in the leaf cells. Chlorophyll a absorbs the wavelengths of red-orange light and b absorb the wavelengths of blue-violet light. The pigments in the leaf cells are absorbing all wavelengths except for green wavelengths (~550nm). The pigments do not absorb the green wavelengths, they instead reflect them, therefore making them appear to be green to …show more content…
Both a and b chlorophyll reflect green, which is why leaves appears to be green. Chlorophyll a is the pigment that interacts directly in the light requiring reactions of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll b is an accessory pigment and acts indirectly in photosynthesis by transferring photons that it absorbs to chlorophyll a. The chlorophyll contain a porphyrin ring, which is a stable ring-shaped molecule that is around electrons that move freely. Because they can move around freely, the ring can gain and lose electrons easily. Which allows it to provide energized electrons to other molecules. This is the process by which chlorophyll captures the energy of light. The captured photons are used to “excite” electrons produced from photolysis, these electrons are transferred through electron transport chains where their energy is slowly released. Chlorophyll a and b have an important role in the light reaction of photosynthesis, the energy created from the electron transport chains are vital to the process of the light