Chlorophyll

Question 1

3 structures?

Answer 1

1. Light-absorbing head end contains Mg atom
2. Long hydrocarbon tail (hydrophobic)
   - project into thylakoid membrane, anchoring chlorophyll into TM
3. Different side-chains on head
   - modifies absorption spectra
   - increase range of wavelength of light absorbed

Question 2

How absorption of light results in excitation of chlorophyll

Answer 2

• e in chlorophyll boosted to higher energy level
• light energy trapped -> chemical energy
• excited state is unstable, molecule return to its ground state
• excited e pass from molecule to e acceptor