Final answer:
A photon, which is a unit of light with properties of both a particle and a wave, stimulates the photoreceptor cells in the retina. These cells, rods, and cones, contain pigments that change in response to light, triggering visual perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
The unit of light that stimulates the photoreceptor cells in the retina is called a photon. A photon is a packet of energy that acts as both a particle and a wave. In the retina, photoreceptors such as rods and cones contain photosensitive pigments that undergo chemical changes when exposed to light. The two types of photoreceptor cells, rods and cones, perform different functions. Rods are responsible for vision in low-light conditions and do not mediate color vision, while cones are less sensitive but responsible for color vision and function well in brighter light. Each photoreceptor cell contains a pigment, and when exposed to light, the pigment undergoes a conformational change that ultimately leads to a change in the cell's membrane potential. This change in potential triggers a cascade of events that result in the perception of light.