DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DIVISION OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY

San Ignacio St., Poblacion, City of San Jose del Monte 3023
9

LEARNING
ACTIVITY SHEETS
(LAS)
General Biology 1
Quarter 2 – Module : 2
Chlorophyll and other Pigments
(STEM_BIO11/12-IIa-j-3)
 Pretest
Directions: Choose the letter of correct answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet.

1. Which of the following converts sunlight to chemical energy?

a. Fish b. cattle c. plants d. fungi

2. Why are leaves green?

a. Because plant pigments are color green c. Because leaves reflect green color

b. Because leaves absorb green color d. Because green has long wavelength

3. Which among the colors of visible light is most useful in photosynthesis?

a.blue b. white c. green d. orange

4. What is the product of photosynthesis?

a. oxygen b. glucose c. water d. carbon dioxide

5. Which photosystem effectively absorbs light with a wavelength of 680nm and thus called ______?

a. I, P680 b. II, P680 c. I, P700 d. II, P700

6. Which is NOT a raw material for photosynthesis?

a. Soil b. sunlight c. water d. carbon dioxide

7. Which term refers to the particle of light that serves as a discrete bundle of energy?

a. photon b. pigment c. proton d. wavelength

8. Which component of photosystem first interacts with light?

a. Reaction center b. antennal complex c. LHC d. all correct

9. Which plant cell structure is used in photosynthesis?

a. nucleus-DNA b. mitochondria-cristae c. plastid-chloroplast d. all correct

10. Which is NOT included in the photosystem?

a. accessory pigments b. chlorophyll a c. LHC d. stroma

11. Which technique separates substances from a mixture using a medium?

a. filtration b. diffusion c. blot d. chromatography

12. What pigment absorbs mainly orange and blue light and reflects yellow green light?

a. carotenoid b. chlorophyll a c. chlorophyll b d. xantophylls

13. Which color of visible light has a wavelength of 495 to 570 nm ?

a. orange b. red c. green d. blue

14. Which specific part of the chloroplast absorbs sunlight and transfers the excited electrons to a
carrier ?
 a. granum b. stroma c. inner membrane d. outer membrane

15. How do plants benefit from multiple type of pigments?

a. More antennal complex to absorb light at different wavelengths

b. Prevents damage to leaf due from intense light energy
c. To capture more of the sun’s energy
d. All correct

Objectives:
After completing this module, you are expected to:

1. discuss the role of pigments in photosynthesis;

2. illustrate how chlorophyll absorbs and transforms light energy;

3. define and describe a photosystem; and

4. separate and identify the different pigments present in plants through a simple paper
chromatography experiment.

Key Concepts
Photosynthesis Equation:
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Light energy C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Carbon dioxide water glucose oxygen

From the equation, we can define photosynthesis as a process that harnesses light energy from the
Sun to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose.

The raw materials carbon dioxide and water produce energy-storing carbohydrates (glucose) and
generate as a waste product oxygen.

Photosynthesis is vital because it evolves as a way to store the the energy in solar radiation (“photo”)
as high-energy electrons in the carbon-carbon bonds of carbohydrate molecules (“synthesis”). The
carbohydrates are the energy source that heterotrophs use to power the synthesis of ATP via
respiration. Therefore, photosynthesis powers 99% of Earth’s ecosystems.

The Nature of Light

Light is a form of electromagnetic energy or radiation energy. It also has a particle-like quantity. A
photon is a particle of light that serves as a discrete bundle of energy.

Through the process of photosynthesis, photoautotrophs (or “self-feeders using light” such as plants,
algae and a group of bacteria called cyanobacteria) use light to manufacture their own food.
 Figure 1. The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The full range of radiation referred to as the electromagnetic spectrum is composed of the very
short wavelengths of gamma rays, the visible spectrum, and the long wavelengths or radio waves. A
certain wavelength is seen by the eye as a specific color. For instance, light with a wavelength of
roughly 495 to 570 nm is seen as green.

Figure 2. The Visible Light

A beam of light has the power to remove electrons from certain molecules creating an electrical
current called photoelectric effect. This happens when photons transfer energy to electrons. The
strength of the photoelectric effect depends on the wavelength of light. The shorter the wavelength,
the greater the amount of energy.

How Plants Capture Light

The leaf is the primary organ of photosynthesis in plants, thus its shape, orientation, and structures
are usually expanded and flat to enable them to gather more light that is necessary for
photosynthesis. The outermost layer of the leaf is the epidermis. It consists of the upper and lower
epidermis, which are present on either side of the leaf. Found in the underside of the leaf are small,
regulated openings called stomata (stoma, singular), through which the gas exchange of carbon
dioxide and oxygen occurs. The stomata are typically located on the underside of the leaf, which
also helps to minimize water loss thus regulate water balance. Two guard cells surround each stoma,
regulating its opening and closing. Guard cells are the only epidermal cells to contain chloroplasts.

The chloroplast is the pigment-containing organelle in autotrophic eukaryotes like plants and are
mostly concentrated along the mesophyll layer of the leaves. Most photosynthetic cells contain 40
to 200 chloroplasts, which add up to about 500,000 per square millimeter of leaf-an impressive array
of solar energy collectors. Its pigments absorb sunlight, making photosynthesis possible. The
pigments are stacked up as grana in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast.

Pigments and their Role in Photosynthesis

Pigments are chemical compounds which reflect certain wavelengths of visible light and absorb
photons of specific wavelengths only. Pigments make organisms appear "colorful". Flowers, corals,
and even animal skin contain pigments which give them their colors. More important than their
reflection of light is the ability of pigments to absorb certain wavelengths.

Because they interact with light to absorb only certain wavelengths, pigments are useful to plants
and other autotrophs --organisms which make their own food using photosynthesis. In plants, algae,
and cyanobacteria, pigments are the means by which the energy of sunlight is captured for
photosynthesis. However, since each pigment reacts with only a narrow range of the spectrum,
there is usually a need to produce several kinds of pigments, each of a different color, to capture
more of the sun's energy.

Major Plant Pigments: their Occurrence and Involvement in Photosynthesis

Pigment Description Where they Examples Function in Photosynthesis

are found of typical
colors
Chlorophyll a The most abundant Green Green Chlorophyll a absorbs light
and important plants, algae with wavelengths of
molecule which and 430nm(blue) and 662nm(red).
makes cyanobacteri It contains a porphyrin ring, a
photosynthesis a stable ring-shaped molecule
possible, by passing around which electrons are
its energized free to migrate. Because the
electrons on to electrons move freely, the ring
molecules which will has the potential to gain or
manufacture sugars. lose electrons easily, and thus
the potential to provide
It reflects green light energized electrons to other
strongly so it molecules. This is the
appears green to us. fundamental process by which
chlorophyll "captures" the
energy of sunlight.
Chlorophyll b Chlorophyll b has a Green Green It absorbs light of 453nm and
structure similar to plants, algae 642 nm maximally.
that of chlorophyll a. and
It is not as abundant cyanobacteri It does not participate directly
as chlorophyll a, and a in light reactions, but channels
probably evolved the energy it absorbs to
later. chlorophyll a to boost its
energy.
Carotenoids With dozens of Lycopene- Reds Absorb light maximally
different forms, Tomato (and between 460 nm and 550 nm.
carotenoids are a other red
much larger group fruits) Called accessory pigments
of pigments. because they cannot transfer
Betacaroten Oranges sunlight energy directly to the
This is a class es - Carrots photosynthetic pathway, but
of accessory pigmen and Orange must pass their absorbed
ts that occur in all peel energy to chlorophyll.
photosynthetic Yellows,
organisms. Zeaxanthin, Pinks Efficient for the disposal of
Xanthophylls excess energy which if not
They are completely (e.g. handled properly can do
hydrophobic (fat astaxanthin) significant damage.
soluble) and exist in - Corn seeds,
lipid membranes. mangoes Many reside in thylakoid
Brown membrane to absorb excess
Fucoxanthin- energy and safely dissipate
Kelps and that energy as heat.
other brown
algae as well
as
the diatoms
Xanthophylls They are essentially Lutein- Yellow, red They do not absorb energy as
oxidized Carotenoids yellow color well as carotenoids.
and contain oxygen. in egg yolk Xanthophylls can function as
They are also fat accessory light-harvesting
soluble. pigments, as structural entities
within the Light harvesting
complex, and as molecules
required for the protection of
photosynthetic organisms
from the potentially toxic
effects of light
Anthocyanins A type of flavonoid, Found Red , The red anthocyanins
a class of naturally in a purple and apparently prevent damage to
compounds with number of blue leaves from intense light
antioxidant effects. foods energy by absorbing ultraviolet
light.
Contain Cu and are There is also evidence that
unpalatable compounds are
stored in the
often produced along with
vacuole of a plant
anthocyanins, which may be
because they are the plant’s way of advertising
water soluble. its toxicity to potential
herbivores. So red-leaved
plants get a little protection
from ultraviolet light and send
a warning to leaf-eating pests,
but they lose a bit of
 photosynthetic efficiency in
dimmer light.

There are several kinds of chlorophyll. Among these, chlorophyll a plays the most important in
photosynthesis. It directly participates in converting solar energy to chemical energy.

Structure of chlorophyll a

• Head—a flat hydrophilic head called porphyrin ring. The metal at the center of the structure, Mg,
can have variable oxidation states . This means that it can accept and donate electron readily
depending of the situation. It is flexible, which is very important to the function of the
molecule.
Different chlorophylls differ on the side groups attached to the porphyrin.
• Tail—a lipid-soluble hydrocarbon tail.

How does photoexcitation of chlorophyll happen?

1. A chlorophyll molecule absorbs photon or light energy.
2. An electron of the molecule in its normal orbital, said to be in its ground state, will be elevated to
an orbital of a higher energy. The molecule is now in an excited state. The molecule only
absorbs photon that has the energy that is equal to the energy needed for it to be able to
elevate from the ground state to the excited state.
3. The excited state is unstable. Hence, excited electrons drop back down to the ground state
immediately after, releasing energy in the form of heat and photon. This happens in isolated
chlorophyll molecules. However, chlorophyll molecule that is found in its natural
environment in the thylakoid membrane forms a photosystem together with proteins and
other organic molecules to prevent the loss of energy from the electrons.

Photosystem
Anchored in the thylakoid membranes are many photosystems, which are clusters of pigments and
proteins that participate in photosynthesis. Each photosystem includes about 300 chlorophyll a
molecules and 50 accessory pigments.

The photosystem’s components:

1. reaction center - comprising a complex of proteins and a special pair of chlorophyll a molecules
that actually use the energy in photosynthetic reactions; and

2. antenna pigments - containing light-absorbing pigments and surround the reaction center. Each
antenna (named by analogy with radio antennas) contains light-harvesting complex (LHC) that
capture photon energy and funnel it to the reaction center.

Each photosystem has a few hundred chlorophyll molecules, so why does only the reaction center
chlorophyll actually participate in the photosynthetic reactions? A single chlorophyll a molecule can
absorb only a small amount of light energy. But because many pigment molecules are arranged close
together, each antenna pigment can quickly pass its energy to the reaction center, freeing the
antenna to absorb other photons as they strike. Thus, the photosystem’s organization greatly
enhances the efficiency of photosynthesis.
 Two types of photosystem:
• Photosystem II—was discovered later after the discovery of Photosystem I, but functions first in
the light reaction of photosynthesis. The chlorophyll a in the reaction-center of Photosystem II
effectively absorbs light with a wavelength of 680nm and thus called P680.
• Photosystem I—was discovered first. Its reaction-center has a chlorophyll a called P700 because it
is effective in absorbing light with a wavelength of 700nm.

Activity 1 Leaves as Site for Photosynthesis

Directions: Refer to the labeled leaf cell and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. What is the function of cuticle?

2. Where in mesophyll layer does photosynthesis occur?

3. What organelle is present in that layer that participates in photosynthesis?

4. What is the function of the air space between the spongy mesophyll?

5. What gas molecule is a raw material for photosynthesis?

6. What gas molecule is a by-product of photosynthesis?

7. What is the function of guard cells in photosynthesis?

8. Which is more advantageous for photosynthesis, a plant with broad or small leaves? Why?

9. Plants grow solely by absorbing water. Is the statement correct? Why or why not?

10. What could be the possible consequences if a black ash from multiple volcanic eruptions made
photosynthesis impossible anywhere on Earth for many years?

a. Consequence to plant

b. Consequence to animal

c. Consequence to microbes
Activity 2 How Chloroplasts Capture Light Energy
I. Refer to the labeled chloroplast and fill the blank with correct parts to illustrate how chlorophyll
absorbs and transforms light energy. Write your answer on a separate sheet.

In all autotrophic eukaryotes, photosynthesis takes place inside an organelle called chloroplast. It
has a double membrane envelope called (1)___________________ and _____________________.
Within it are stacked, disc-shaped structures called (2)_______________ .

Embedded in the thylakoid membrane is chlorophyll, a pigment responsible for light reactions. The
thylakoid membrane encloses an internal space called the (3)____________.

A stack of thylakoids is called a (4)_________________, and the liquid-filled space surrounding the
granum is called (5)________________.

II. MATCHING TYPE. Write the letter that corresponds to the description.

1. The most abundant and important pigment for photosynthesis A. Carotenoids

2. Cluster of pigments and proteins that participate in photosynthesis B. Chlorophyll a

3. Discrete packets of kinetic energy C. Chlorophyll b

4. Pigments that absorb red and blue wavelengths D. Photon

5. Accessory pigment that reflects red, orange or yellow E. Photosystem

III. DISCUSS BRIEFLY AND CONCISELY.

1. Describe the relationships among the chloroplast, stroma, grana, thylakoids and photosystem.

2. How does the reaction center chlorophyll interact with the antenna pigments in a photosystem?

3. Would a plant grow better in a room painted blue or in a room painted green? Explain your
answer.

4. Chlorophyll-enriched products and supplements are now being sold in the market. Find out

what benefits these products claim. With your knowledge about chlorophyll, do you think

these claims are valid? Support your answer.

Activity 3 Chromatography Technique
If you want to see the other hidden pigments in green leaves for yourself, you can use a simple but
powerful technique called chromatography, which is the separation of a mixture by passing it
through a medium (in our case, filter paper) through which different parts of the mixture will move
at different rates. Chromatography works because different substances in a mixture have different
degrees of solubility. Solubility refers to how much of a particular substance can dissolve in a
particular solvent. In chromatography, the least soluble substances fall out of the filter paper column
first, while the most soluble one travel the furthest up the paper.
As you proceed with the the activity, make sure to heed these important precautions:

 Use good quality pencil for drawing the reference line so that the mark does not dissolve in
the solvent in which the chromatography is carried out.
 Keep the glass or cup undisturbed and covered during the experiment.
 The spot should be small and rich in mixture.
 Allow the spot to dry before putting the strip in the jar.
 Keep the strip erect. Do not let it curl.
 Do not allow the spot to dip in the solvent.

How Can the Different Pigments in Leaves Be Revealed?

Materials

 Soft green leaves

 Scissors
 Mortar and pestle
 Glass or ceramic cup
 Isopropyl alcohol (or acetone in nail polish remover, but be careful—acetone creates more
fumes)
 Flat coffee filters
 Tape
 Pencil or straw

Procedure

1. Use the scissors to cut up enough leaves to make a ¼ cup of pieces.

2. Use the mortar and pestle to grind the leaves into a fine pulp.
3. Pour the pulpy leaves into the cup.
4. Pour enough isopropyl alcohol over the leaves to cover them. Stir.
5. Cut out strip of coffee filter paper about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide. Using pencil, mark
the paper with a straight line all the way across the long way of paper, at a distance of about
one centimeter above the bottom edge.
6. Attach the strip to the pencil with a piece of tape. Make sure the bottom of the strip hangs
straight.
7. Adjust the length of the filter paper strip so that the bottom just touches the green liquid in
the cup.
8. Checking every couple minutes, wait for the band of solvent to migrate to the top of the
filter paper. Different colored bands should become evident along the strip.
9. Stop when the solvent has risen about 3/4 of the way toward the top of the paper. Lift the
paper out of the glass. Study your strip, and try to identify the pigments.
 10. Dispose the pulp with solvent properly.

Result. On a separate sheet of paper, copy and fill the table by completing each row starting from
the color that traveled the fastest and furthest to the color that traveled the least. Make sure to
properly follow the correct number with #1 as the furthest color.

Color Pigment Distance travelled

from original line
(cm)

DISCUSS BRIEFLY AND CONCISELY.

1. Why is it important to use alcohol or nail polish remover rather than water as a solvent?

2. Why was the color of the ground pulp green?

3. Which colored band and pigment traveled the fastest? Why?

4. Which colored band and pigment traveled the least or slowest? Why?

5. How does it benefit a plant to have multiple types of pigments?

Posttest
Directions: Choose the letter of correct answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet.

1. Which plant cell organelle converts sunlight to chemical energy?

a. mitochondrion b. lysosome c. chloroplast d. plastid

2. Which statement is INCORRECT about leaves?

a. The chloroplast contains the pigments.

b. The presence of pigments gives its color.
c. Chlorophyll pigments reflect green colors.
d. They are the only structure used in photosynthesis.

3. Which is NOT an accessory pigment?

a. anthocyanin b. chlorophyll b c. carotenoid d. xantophyll

4. How do accessory pigments help in photosynthesis?

a. By emitting colors that attract sunlight.

b. By passing the absorbed energy to chlorophyll a.
 c. By reflecting colors not absorbed by chlorophyll a.
d. By warding off herbivores that may damage the leaf.

5. Which raw material for photosynthesis is captured by the pigments?

a. Soil b. sunlight c. water d. carbon dioxide

For numbers 6-10, use the following choices

a. antenna complex b. pigment c. photon d. photosystem

6. Made up of light-harvesting complex

7. Capture photon energy and funnel to reaction center
8. A particle of light that serves as a discrete bundle of energy
9. Cluster of pigments and proteins that participate in photosynthesis
10. Molecules that capture light energy by absorbing certain wavelengths

11. What pigment absorbs mainly blue and red light and reflects green light?

a. carotenoid b. chlorophyll a c. chlorophyll b d. xantophylls

12. Which wavelength of light would produce the highest photosynthetic rate?

a. 350 nm b. 450 nm c. 600 nm d. 650 nm

13. In which specific part of the chloroplast are light-harvesting pigments located?

a. granum b. stroma c. inner membrane d. outer membrane

14. Which material in chromatography technique served as the medium in separating pigments?

a. pencil b. filter paper c. leaves d. alcohol

15. Which conclusion can be drawn from the chromatography technique done?

a. Green leaves have other pigments other than chlorophyll.

b. Pigments can be revealed by separating the molecules.
c. Different pigments move at different rates.
d. All correct

Answer Key to Pretest

1. c 6. b 11. d
2. c 7. a 12. d
3. a 8. b 13. c
4. b 9. c 14. a
5. a 10. d 15. d
References

Belardo, Gisselle Millete M, et.al. General Biology 1 Textbook. Pasig City:

Department of Education Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR), 2016.
pp148-153
Evangelista, Luisito T., General Biology 1 for Senior High School. Quezon City:
C & E Publishing,Inc. 2017. pp 114-116
Hoefnagels, Marielle. General Biology Books 1 and II . Quezon City: McGraw-Hill
Education. 2016. pp 85-88

Prepared:
Verlinda M. German

Checked:
Content Evaluator: Jios Ver D. Temporal

LR Coordinator : Mary Grace L. Sagun

Language Evaluator : Billy Ray B. Manuel

Noted:

Florida C. Gonzales, Ph.D.

Principal II