Proteins found in chloroplasts that absorb sunlight for photosynthesis are called which pigment?

Proteins found in chloroplasts that absorb sunlight for photosynthesis are called which pigment?

• A. Carotenoids
• B. Chlorophyll
• C. Stroma
• D. Chloroplast

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the light energy capturing pigment in chloroplasts that kickstarts photosynthesis is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll molecules, mainly chlorophyll a (with help from chlorophyll b), reside in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and absorb blue and red light, giving plants their green color. This absorbed energy excites electrons and powers the light-dependent reactions that produce ATP and NADPH, which fuel the next stage in the process. Carotenoids are also pigments in chloroplasts and help broaden the range of light absorbed and protect against light damage, but they are not the primary pigment driving photosynthesis. The stroma is the fluid inside the chloroplast where the Calvin cycle occurs, and chloroplast refers to the organelle itself, not a pigment. So the pigment responsible for absorbing sunlight for photosynthesis is chlorophyll.

The key idea is that the light energy capturing pigment in chloroplasts that kickstarts photosynthesis is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll molecules, mainly chlorophyll a (with help from chlorophyll b), reside in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and absorb blue and red light, giving plants their green color. This absorbed energy excites electrons and powers the light-dependent reactions that produce ATP and NADPH, which fuel the next stage in the process. Carotenoids are also pigments in chloroplasts and help broaden the range of light absorbed and protect against light damage, but they are not the primary pigment driving photosynthesis. The stroma is the fluid inside the chloroplast where the Calvin cycle occurs, and chloroplast refers to the organelle itself, not a pigment. So the pigment responsible for absorbing sunlight for photosynthesis is chlorophyll.