Question

The empirical formula of chlorophyll a is:
A) \[{{C}_{35}}{{H}_{72}}{{O}_{5}}{{N}_{4}}Mg\]
B) \[{{C}_{65}}{{H}_{70}}{{O}_{6}}{{N}_{4}}Mg\]
C) \[{{C}_{55}}{{H}_{72}}{{O}_{5}}{{N}_{4}}Mg\]
D) \[{{C}_{45}}{{H}_{70}}{{O}_{6}}{{N}_{4}}Mg\]

Answer 1

Hint:The colour of the leaves in plants is not due to a single pigment but due to four pigments chlorophyll a (bright or blue-green), chlorophyll b (yellow- green), xanthophylls (yellow) and carotenoids (yellow to yellow orange).

Complete answer
Chlorophyll is vital for photosynthesis as this pigment in plants allows them to absorb sunlight or energy and transfer it to other parts of the photosystem. Chlorophylls are of numerous types such as chlorophyll a, b, c and d. But the most widely distributed form of chlorophyll in plants is chlorophyll a, due to which plants majorly show green colouration. The empirical formula for chlorophyll is a \[{{C}_{55}}{{H}_{72}}{{O}_{5}}{{N}_{4}}Mg\]
Chlorophyll a is insoluble in water.

Note:Chlorophyll-a is the primary pigment for photosynthesis. All organisms that perform photosynthesis contain chlorophyll a. Chlorophyll-a is a specific form of photosynthesis which is generally used in oxygenic photosynthesis.