Question

First, chlorophyll extraction was done with ethanol. I used my phone's flash light to see the fluorescence which was a little pinkish red. Then, I added an ether solvent to the extracted chlorophylls(which contain ethanol), and saw the fluorescence again which was more of a red color than before.

I've learned that chlorophyll dissolve well in ethers than in ethanol, so the fluorescence is higher in an ether solvent. What is the reason for this? There are same amount of chlorophyll but just a different amount of 'how much they are dissolved'. Do chlorophyll need to be 'dissolved' in a solution(organic solvent) to make fluorescence?

Answer 1

The fluorescence of chlorophyll increases when moved from ethanol to an ether solution due to better solubility and the non-polar environment of the ether enhancing the electronic states of the chlorophyll, which affects fluorescence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The increase in fluorescence of chlorophyll when moving from an ethanol solution to an ether solution is due to the differences in solubility and the environment provided by the solvents. Chlorophyll molecules need to be dissolved in a solvent to exhibit fluorescence because the solvent affects the electronic structure and relaxation processes of the chlorophyll. Ethers, being more non-polar than ethanol, provide a better environment for chlorophyll, affecting its electronic states and enhancing fluorescence. The solvent polarity affects the energy levels of the electrons in the chlorophyll and this influences how light is absorbed and emitted by these molecules.