Video Transcript
Which of the following atoms is an
important part of chlorophyll? (A) Calcium, (B) manganese, (C)
magnesium, (D) zinc.
Chlorophyll is a green pigment
found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek
words “khloros,” meaning pale green, and “phyllon,” meaning leaf. Chlorophyll is essential in
photosynthesis, which is the process that allows plants to make their own food by
converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. As mentioned, chlorophyll is found
in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. To be more precise, they are
located in the thylakoid membranes within the chloroplast.
Note that chlorophyll is commonly
found in plants in two forms, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Let’s have a look at the structure
of one of these two chlorophylls, chlorophyll a. Chlorophyll a has the chemical
formula C55H72O5N4Mg, and it looks like shown on the screen. Even though there are several types
of chlorophyll, one structure is the same in all of them. They contain a central magnesium
ion, which is thought to be crucial for the ability of this pigment to absorb
light.
So an important part of chlorophyll
is named in answer option (C), magnesium.
