Photosynthesis and Chlorophyll

Question

Read the following passage and study the graph. Everything you need to successfully answer the questions is provided in the passage and in the graph. This is an exercise in careful reading.

1A pigment is a substance that absorbs light of particular wavelengths. 2Plants contain multiple types of pigments, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids. 3If you see a leaf that is green or green-yellow in color, that is due to a pigment in the leaf called chlorophyll. 4Sunlight, which is categorized as "white" light, contains all of the colors of the spectrum. 5When it shines on the plant leaf, the chlorophyll absorbs some wavelengths and reflects other wavelengths. 6That is why you see specific colors. 7There are two different forms of chlorophyll (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b), and they each absorb and reflect different ranges of wavelengths.

8A spectrophotometer is an instrument that can be used to measure the amount of light absorbed by a pigment. 9The graph below shows the percent of light energy absorbed for the different light wavelengths. 10The highest peaks represent the colors that the chlorophyll absorbs the most; therefore, the highest peaks are the colors that are seen the least.

11The green line is for the chlorophyll a pigment. 12It tends to have a green or blue-green appearance. 13Chlorophyll a is the primary pigment used for photosynthesis.

14The red line is for the chlorophyll b pigment. 15It tends to have a more yellow-green or olive green appearance. 16Chlorophyll b is a secondary pigment used for photosynthesis. 17Because it absorbs light in slightly different wavelengths, it increases the amount of useful light plants can employ when performing photosynthesis, especially in shaded areas.

point)
8. Sentence number
explains that a spectrophotometer measures
.
Question 2
9. Why is chlorophyll b useful?(1 point)
Responses

It is located in a different organelle.
It is located in a different organelle.

It absorbs slightly different wavelengths than chlorophyll a.
It absorbs slightly different wavelengths than chlorophyll a.

It lasts for a longer time than chlorophyll a.
It lasts for a longer time than chlorophyll a.

It does exactly the same thing as chlorophyll a.
It does exactly the same thing as chlorophyll a.
Question 3
10. Which sentences tell you how chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are different?(1 point)
Responses

1 and 5
1 and 5

7 and 17
7 and 17

8 and 14
8 and 14

3 and 9

Answer 1

Question 1
8. Sentence number 8 explains that a spectrophotometer measures the amount of light absorbed by a pigment.

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Question 2
9. Why is chlorophyll b useful?
Response: It absorbs slightly different wavelengths than chlorophyll a.

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Question 3
10. Which sentences tell you how chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are different?
Response: 7 and 17.

Sentence 7 discusses the differences in the absorption and reflection of wavelengths between chlorophyll a and b, while sentence 17 explains how chlorophyll b increases the amount of useful light for photosynthesis.