Overview
Absorption and action spectra are essential concepts in understanding how light interacts with substances, particularly in biological systems like plants. The absorption spectrum reveals how much light a substance absorbs at various wavelengths, while the action spectrum indicates how effectively th...
Key Terms
Example: The absorption spectrum of chlorophyll shows peaks at blue and red wavelengths.
Example: The action spectrum for photosynthesis peaks in the blue and red regions.
Example: Visible light has wavelengths ranging from about 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red).
Example: Photosynthesis occurs mainly in the chloroplasts of plant cells.
Example: Chlorophyll absorbs blue and red light but reflects green light.
Example: A spectrophotometer can be used to determine the absorption spectrum of a pigment.