Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll (/ˈklɔːrəfɪl/; from the Greek words chloros: green and phyllon: leaf) is a term used to refer to a group of green pigments found in cyanobacteria and the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words "chloros" (green) and "phyllon" (leaf).
Etymology
The term "chlorophyll" was first used in the 19th century and is derived from the Greek words "chloros" meaning green and "phyllon" meaning leaf. This is due to the green pigmentation that chlorophyll gives to plants.
Function
Chlorophyll is vital for photosynthesis, which allows plants to absorb energy from light. It absorbs light most strongly in the blue portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, followed by the red portion. However, it is a poor absorber of green and near-green portions of the spectrum, hence the green color of chlorophyll-containing tissues.
Types
There are several different types of chlorophyll, including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll c, chlorophyll d, chlorophyll e, and bacteriochlorophyll. Each type has a slightly different structure and function.
Related Terms
- Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the aid of chlorophyll.
- Chloroplast: An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs.
- Cyanobacteria: A phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis, and are the only photosynthetic prokaryotes able to produce oxygen.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Chlorophyll
- Wikipedia's article - Chlorophyll
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