A chromatogram of a leaf extract shows four bands…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A chromatogram of a leaf extract shows four bands. From the top they are orange-yellow, yellow, blue-green and yellow-green. (a) Name the pigment of each band. (b) Which pigment moved farthest? (c) Which two are chlorophylls?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Pigments: chlorophyll a (bright or blue green), chlorophyll b (yellow green), xanthophylls (yellow), carotenoids (yellow to yellow-orange). . Chlorophyll a absorbs best in blue and red. The action spectrum follows the absorption spectrum but is higher where accessory pigments add their light, and accessory pigments also protect chlorophyll a from photo-oxidation.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The names. Orange-yellow: carotenoids. Yellow: xanthophylls. Blue-green: chlorophyll a. Yellow-green: chlorophyll b.
Step 2. The farthest. The top band travelled farthest, so it is the carotenoids.
Step 3. The chlorophylls. The blue-green and yellow-green bands, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.
Answer: (a) carotenoids, xanthophylls, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b; (b) carotenoids; (c) chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.
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