Final answer:
Plants use chlorophyll to absorb energy from the sun, located in thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts, initiating the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Energy captured is transformed into chemical energy used for synthesizing food molecules. Photoreceptors play a vital role in plant responses to light.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plants gather the sun's energy with light-absorbing molecules known as chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment present in the leaves, located in the thylakoid membranes inside chloroplasts. It plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis, specifically in the light-dependent reactions where the pigment molecules absorb energy directly from sunlight.
The light-dependent reactions start within a configuration of pigment molecules and proteins called a photosystem. A single pigment molecule within the photosystem is capable of absorbing one photon, which means a unit or "packet" of light energy, at a time. This energy is then converted into chemical energy, which the plant uses to build food molecules, a process perfectly depicted by photoautotrophs that capture visible light energy in specific wavelengths.
Moreover, the sensing of light is also significant for plant life. Different photoreceptors, which consist of proteins linked to a light-absorbing pigment known as a chromophore, mediate the plant's response to light. These responses can be essential for a plant's competition and survival within its environment.