LIGHTS AND PIGMENTS: AN INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOBIOLOGY Flashcards
The wave properties of light may be characterized by either
wave length or frequency
When light is emitted from a source or interacts with
matter, it behaves as though its energy is divided into
discrete units or particles called
photons
The energy
carried by a photon
quantum
molecule that absorbs light
pigments
occurs when a molecule
loses excitation energy as heat
thermal deactivation
emission of a photon oflight by
the excited molecule
fluorescence
Energy may be transferred between pigment molecules
inductive resonance
The energetic electron may be given up to an acceptor molecule
photooxidized
the efficiency of
absorption is plotted against wavelength
absorption spectrum
graph that
shows the effectiveness of light in a particular process
plotted as a function of w avelength
action spectrum
three parameters of primary concern
when describing light
light quantity
light quality
spectral composition
Pigments that absorb light for eventual use in a
physiological process
photoreceptors
chlorophyll molecule consists of two
parts
poryphorin head and phytol tail
immediate precursor to
chlorophyll a
protochlorophyll
pigments with properties similar to the bile pigments
phycobilins
