Horticulturists know that, for many plants, dark green leaves are associated with low light levels and pale green with high levels. (b) What change in leaf composition might account for this difference?
A plant's leaves begin to produce more chlorophyll b if it doesn't get enough sunshine.
Low-intensity light is captured by chlorophyll b and sent to chlorophyll a for photosynthesis.
The leaf turns a dark green color as a result of an increase in chlorophyll b.
Chlorophyll a in newly emerging leaves in the spring is primarily light green.
What is Chlorophyll?
Many plants and algae have a green tint because of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is contained within organisms in structures known as chloroplasts,
which are pictured here arranged inside plant cells under a microscope.
In a plant, chlorophyll's function is to absorb light, often sunlight. Two types of energy-storing molecules receive the light energy that is absorbed.
The plant uses its stored energy to turn water and carbon dioxide from the air into glucose, a form of sugar, through photosynthesis.