Question

Which is the most abundant plant pigment in the world?
A. Chlorophyll a
B. Chlorophyll b
C. Chlorophyll c
D. Chlorophyll d

Answer 1

Hint: Chlorophyll a along with other pigments forms the photosystem in green plants. Multiple pigments absorb the different wavelength of light, allowing the plant to capture the maximum amount of energy from the sun.

Complete answer:
The most abundant plant pigment in the world is ‘chlorophyll a’.
1. The chlorophyll was first isolated by the French chemists Pierre-Joseph Pelletier (1788–1842) and Joseph-Bienaime Caventou (1795–1877) in 1817.
2. Different pigments produced by plants are as follows-
- Carotene: an orange pigment
- Xanthophyll: a yellow pigment
- Chlorophyll a: a blue-green pigment
- Chlorophyll b: a yellow-green pigment
3. Chlorophyll 'a' absorbs light at 430nm (blue) and 662nm (red) wavelength. It reflects green light so it appears as green to us.
4. Chlorophyll 'b' absorbs light at 450–500 nm and at 600–650 nm wavelength. Xanthophyll absorbs well at 400–530 nm. Carotenoids absorb light between 460 nm and 550 nm wavelengths.
5. Chlorophyll a is known as the primary pigment while others are collectively known as accessory pigments. Chlorophyll b absorbs light and passes the solar energy to chlorophyll a.
6. Chlorophyll c is found in brown algae, diatoms, and dinoflagellates. It is also bluish-green in color.
7. Chlorophyll d is generally found in cyanobacteria and red algae.

So, the correct answer is 'chlorophyll a'.

Note:
- All forms of chlorophyll have a similar basic chemical structure. They have a complex system of rings made of carbon and nitrogen known as a chlorin ring. They mainly differ in the chemical groups attached to the chlorin ring.
- Carotenoids are red, orange, and yellow in color. These colors are generally masked by the green color of chlorophyll.