Question

Three of the same species of plant are each grown under a different colored light for the same amount of time. Plant A is grown under blue light, Plant B is grown under green light, and Plant C is grown under orange light. Assuming the plants use only chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b for photosynthesis, what would be the predicted order of the plants from most growth to least growth?

a) Plant A > Plant B > Plant C
b) Plant C > Plant B > Plant A
c) Plant B > Plant A > Plant C
d) Plant B > Plant C > Plant A

Answer 1

The predicted order of the plants from most growth to least growth is Plant A > Plant B > Plant C. Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b absorb light in different parts of the spectrum, with blue light being absorbed more efficiently than green or orange light.

Step-by-step explanation:

The predicted order of the plants from most growth to least growth would be

Plant A > Plant B > Plant C.

Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are the two main pigments responsible for photosynthesis in plants. Both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b absorb light in the blue and red parts of the spectrum, but they absorb different wavelengths of light. Blue light, which Plant A is grown under, is absorbed more efficiently by chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b compared to green light, which Plant B is grown under, and orange light, which Plant C is grown under. Therefore, Plant A, grown under blue light, would have the most growth, followed by Plant B, grown under green light, and finally Plant C, grown under orange light.