Absorption of Light by

Chlorophyll
Higher Biology
Light absorption by
chlorophyll
 Measuring light absorption
• A spectrometer is used to measure
the amount of absorption at each
wavelength

• An action spectrum shows the rate of

photosynthesis at different light
intensities
• Chlorophyll A and B
absorb light mostly
in the red and blue
regions of the
spectrum

• Carotene and
xanthophyll absorb
light from other
regions and pass
the energy to
chlorophyll
 Brown seaweeds
• subjected to low light intensities
• Chlorophyll C instead of chlorophyll B
• fucoxanthin
-very wide absorption spectrum
-absorbs light in parts of the
spectrum where chlorophyll is less
efficient
 Red seaweeds
• Have chlorophyll D
• Phycoerythrin
 Green seaweeds
• Found in shallow
water

• Do not have
fucoxanthin

• Does not have

phycoerythrin
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