Based on a variety of experiments, it is known that the rate of photosynthesis is highest when wavelengths of light between 400 and 500 nm are used, and when wavelengths around 700 nm are used. What does this indicate about the relative importance of chlorophyll a and b in photosynthesis?
A. Reflection of light by chlorophyll a and b is essential for the process of photosynthesis
B. Absorption of light by chlorophyll a and b is essential for the process of photosynthesis
C. Transmission of light by chlorophyll a and b is essential for the process of photosynthesis
D. Chlorophyll a and b are much less important than other pigments in the reflection, absorption and transmission of light relevant to photosynthesis
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about the role of pigments during photosynthesis? What other information is related to the question?
Choose Answer
Do you have all the information needed to analyze the graph and answer the question?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
B. Absorption of light by chlorophyll a and b is essential for the process of photosynthesis
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· The question asks you to determine the relative importance of chlorophyll a and b in photosynthesis.
What type of thinking is required?
· You are being asked to decipher, or analyze, data from the graph to determine the relative importance of chlorophylls a and b in photosynthesis.
Gather Content
What do you already know about the role of pigments during photosynthesis? What other information is related to the question?
· The first phase of photosynthesis includes the light reactions, where energy from the sun is captured using concentrated chlorophyll clusters organized in photosystems to remove electrons from water, excite them to a higher energy level, and to use redox reactions in order to eventually produce ATP and NADPH.
· Each type of chlorophyll contributes differently to the overall ability of the plant to absorb solar energy and fix carbon. Given the data in the graph, what is the relative importance of chlorophylls a and b?
Choose Answer
Do you have all the information needed to analyze the graph and answer the question?
· Chlorophylls are the main light harvesting molecules that plants use to photosynthesize. This graph shows three types of pigment molecules; carotenoids, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b.
· Let’s consider the graph itself for a moment. The X axis shows the wavelength of light whereas the Y axis shows the amount of light that can be absorbed. Considering that photosynthesis is about absorbing light, it makes sense to eliminate answers that talk about reflection or transmission of light. Using the location and size of their absorption peaks, it is clear from reading the graph that chlorophylls a and b are important, so we can also eliminate the answer that indicates they are less important.
· Based on the data presented in the graph, and process of elimination for incorrect answers, the correct response is chlorophyll a and b are essential for photosynthesis.
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
· Answering this question correctly depended on your ability to analyze the graph to determine the relative importance of chlorophylls a and b.
· If you got a correct answer, well done! If you got an incorrect answer, did you recall that a plant’s ability to photosynthesize relies on pigments like chlorophyll? Did you remember that there are different types of chlorophyll molecules? Were you able to decipher data from the graph that shows the importance of chlorophylls a and b to light absorption and therefore photosynthesis?
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