Final answer:
Rhodopsin is the chemical utilized by rods and cones, the two types of photoreceptors in the eye, for activation during the process of transducing light into neural signals. Rods are especially sensitive in low light, whereas cones are responsible for color vision.
Step-by-step explanation:
The photoreceptors that utilize the chemical rhodopsin for activation are known as rods and cones. These photoreceptors are responsible for the transduction of light into a neural signal within the eye. Rhodopsin consists of two parts: opsin, a membrane protein, and retinal, a molecule that absorbs light. When light strikes the photoreceptor cells, the retinal changes shape, leading to the activation of rhodopsin, which triggers a G protein called transducin. This process ultimately results in the hyperpolarization of the photoreceptor cell membrane through the closing of sodium channels, thus inhibiting the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate to the bipolar cells in the retina. The rods are highly sensitive photoreceptors that function well in low light conditions and detect black and white vision, while cones are less sensitive to light but are responsible for color vision, with each type of cone being sensitive to different wavelengths corresponding to the colors red, green, and blue.