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Biology  /  Bio 0587  ·  Atom · ~20 seconds

Photosynthetic Pigments: Chlorophyll and Carotenoids

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Chlorophyll absorbs mainly blue and red light and reflects green, giving leaves their color; carotenoids absorb blue light and dissipate excess energy as heat.

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Autumn leaves turn yellow-orange as chlorophyll degrades, revealing the carotenoids that were there all along but masked by green.

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Seeing a green leaf tempts students to assume chlorophyll absorbs green light, when it actually reflects that color.