Importance of Chlorophyll
Importance of Chlorophyll
Importance of Chlorophyll
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