Question

Photosynthetic pigments common to all algae
A) Chlorophyll 'b' and carotene
B) Chlorophyll 'a' and 'b'
C) Chlorophyll 'a' and carotene
D) Chlorophyll and Xanthophyll

Answer 1

Hint: Mainly photosynthetic pigments are present in all the algae. They are the molecules that absorb the light. They contain a pigment that acts as a reaction center and shows a wide range of light absorption for photosynthesis.

Complete answer:
- The great diversity in pigmentation is shown by the algae. They contained many different types of color pigment mainly green, red, yellow, and blue and all these pigments can be seen in both Marine and freshwater algae.
- The different and special pigment composition present in different groups of algae. Chromophores Audi specialized plastids where pigments are usually found in all the groups of algae except in the member of blue-green algae (Cyanophyceae).
- Pigments are of great taxonomic significance based on the distribution patterns of pigments in algal systematics. Fritsch proposed the classification of algae which is based on the pigmentation of algae.
- At least one characteristic pigment is present in the cells of all the major algal groups.
- The three major categories of the pigments in the algae are present which is based on their physical and chemical properties. They are chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phycobilins.
Chlorophyll a - this is present in all types of algae. It is a very important component of photosynthesis and plays a major role in this process. This is responsible for the absorbing of both red- orange and blue- violet spectrum of light.
- It acts as an electron donor after the absorption of light in an electron transport chain that drives the photosynthetic reaction.
Carotene - these are the fat- soluble yellow pigments that are present in all the algae and found in the close association with the chlorophylls. It helps in absorbing the light energy and transfer due to the chlorophyll because carotenes cannot directly transfer it to the photosynthetic pathway.

Additional information:
Chlorophyll b - is present only in the green algae mostly absorbs blue- violet wavelength light. It is also called a helper pigment to provide the necessary amount of light for photosynthesis.
Xanthophyll - it is present in brown algae (Phaeophyta) and green algae (Chlorophyta). They play a major role in the photosynthetic light- harvesting complexes of algae.
So, the correct answer is, "A) Chlorophyll 'a' and carotene".

Note:
- In algae, photosynthesis helps in turning the light energy from the sun into usable chemical energy.
- Algae are the unicellular organisms that use photosynthesis to get energy or food and take and usually defined by coloration.