How is chromatography related to photosynthesis?

Answer 1

The process of chromatography relates to the overall process of photosynthesis because photosynthesis is the source of food for plants. Plants use sunlight, CO2 and water to make energy in the form of glucose. The role of pigments in this is that pigments help to create energy in plants by absorbing sunlight. Pigments can absorb or reflect certain light waves according to their specific wavelengths which can be determined by the colour of the pigment. Different colours of pigments have different corresponding wavelengths. The pigment, chlorophyll, found in most plants is the one most associated with photosynthesis. This pigment reflects green wavelength because they provide less energy and reflects it for us to view the plant as green. An example of this would be spinach. This green plant contains multiple pigments. It contains chlorophyll which reflects green light and also contains multiple other pigments which pass through the leaf to be used in photosynthesis. Particularly intense reflection increases the colour of the plant and since green plants contain an abundance of chlorophyll to reflect as much green light as possible, we see spinach as a dark green plant.

Answer 2

Chromatography can be used to separate and analyze the pigments involved in photosynthesis, such as chlorophyll. By separating these pigments, researchers can gain insights into the efficiency and mechanisms of photosynthesis in plants. Chromatography is a valuable tool in studying the components and processes involved in photosynthesis.