Light Capturing in Photosynthesis

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Life needs a supply of energy. Where does the energy come from? There are only two sources available: chemical energy in the environment, and
light. Photosynthesis is the lifestyle whereby a plant captures light by absorption in a pigment, and converts the energy to its own use.
In the photosynthetic light reactions, energy derived from sunlight energizes an electron in the green organic pigment chlorophyll
The photons in light provide the energy that drives photosynthesis.
This energy is used to incorporate carbon found in CO2 from the atmosphere into organic molecules and, in particular, into simple sugars used by the plant.
Chloroplasts perform photosynthesis during the daylight hours.
Energy derived from sunlight energizes an electron in the green organic pigment chlorophyll located in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. The chlorophyll obtains its electrons from water (H2O), producing O2 as a by-product. There are two chlorophyll pigments in plants that are critical for absorbing light: Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll b.